Flipped: Maximum Ride Style
by everyoneisMISunderstood
Summary: AU, no wings or School. Fang wishes Max would leave him alone, but Max can't seem to let go of her huge crush on Fang. When Max finally decided she wants to move on, Fang finally begins to realize how much he cares about her. Based on the book Flipped.
1. First Sight: Fang POV

**(A/N) This story was inspired by a book I have read, so if anyone is here like, "Hey she copied the plot line, let's sue her!" I am now saying that I did base this story loosely off the plot line of **_**Flipped**_** by Wendelin Van Draanen. By the way, Iggy isn't blind in this story. None of them went to the School.**

**Fang POV**

When I first saw her, I had a feeling I would have a stalker for the rest of my life. Max. She moved into my neighborhood when we were only eleven years old. That first day I saw her was one of the worst days of my life. I was hanging out with my best friend, Iggy, when she decided to barge into my life.

_*********Flashback*********_

"Fang, come on let's go. There's some girl outside, and she's kinda cute. Not really. She's not girly enough for me. But you might like her." Iggy called from outside. I was getting us some water. I rolled my eyes. Iggy was crazy about girls. And we were only eleven.

"Mom. Going outside." I said shortly. I hated my mom. She was horrible. She had me when she was only fourteen, and Dad left awhile ago. My mom didn't even act like a mom, she acted like my sister. She was young enough to be my sister. She wore short skirts and tight shirts and had a different boyfriend every week. I absolutely hated her. I always would.

My mom walked in wearing too much makeup and perfume, just like always. And what do you know: short skirt and tight shirt. Like I didn't see that one coming. "Whatever. You should know by now I don't care what you want. The only reason I haven't given you away yet is because eventually you'll be able to make money and you're going to be the one paying for my retirement home. You better get me a good place too, and buy me lots of jewelry, what with all the crap I put with from you. You should really get a life. If you can." And this is why I hate my mom. Not only is she a stuck up brat, but she hates me too. It makes my life easier to hate her.

I ignored her sharp comments and walked outside where Iggy was standing talking to my mom. All my friends think my mom is so freaking pretty. But they don't even know her. Yeah, she's only twenty-five, and she is good looking, but she's a brat. I never tell anyone about how she verbally abuses me. I never tell anyone about my father.

I glanced across the street to see some girl with blonde hair helping her parents move stuff in. I didn't think she was pretty. Not even cute. But then again, I liked girls with red hair a lot more. Like Lissa. Man, Lissa was pretty.

When my mom left, Iggy sighed. "Man, your mom is the coolest." It was a good thing I was really good at concealing my emotions. Iggy wouldn't be able to see the disgust I felt towards my mom.

Shrugging, I grabbed the soccer ball that was on the porch and we began to kick the ball back and forth. "Can I play?" Startled, I looked up to see the chick from across the street covered in dirt looking at me with pleading, and somewhat awestruck eyes. I rolled my eyes. She already liked me.

Iggy laughed and said, "Sorry, Blondie, we don't want any other guys playing with us. Maybe if you were a girl."

The girl got this fiery look on her face as she said, "I am a girl! I just don't act like that guy's sister!" She jerked her finger towards me when she said that guy.

"Igs, that was pretty harsh." I declared, not wanting to have this girl start to get defensive and mad. _Oh no. I shouldn't have done that. _ I thought to myself as the girl looked at me gratefully.

She almost flinched though as she said, "I don't really need you to defend me, but that was so nice of you!" She wasn't flirting. She was just grateful, and yet embarrassed and mad at the same time. Great the bi-polar girl has a crush on me.

Holding out her grimy hand, she said, "My name is Max! What's your name?" I concealed my disgust and refused to shake this girl's hand. I didn't want to get all gross and dirty from this chick.

Snickering, Iggy said, "She doesn't act like a girl, she doesn't even have a girly name! Are you sure you aren't a boy in disguise?"

Getting that same angry look on her face she half yelled, "I am! I am a girl! Why do you think I'm not. I just… don't act like most other girls! So you need to just shut up!"

Iggy muttered to me, "Aren't you just so lucky? She's so charming."

I mumbled back, "You're sarcasm isn't necessary."

The girl turned back to me and said, "Look, I think you seem like a nice guy. Do you want to be friends, or something?"

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I said, "No thanks. I have better things to do than to talk to someone like you."

Refusing to be discouraged, she shot back, "But I really think we should just give it a shot. We could be really close friends, if you would just try."

This time, hoping to get her to leave me alone I said, "I'm not interested in someone who doesn't seem to understand the concept of personal hygiene. So you know what? I'm gonna go inside now. Please, just leave me alone."

Iggy said loudly, "Nice one Fang!"

Max looked right at me and stated very seriously, "Okay! But I don't give up easily."

**(A/N) So what do you guys think so far? Please review and let me know. I'm going to make short chapters, but I plan on making this story quite long.**


	2. First Sight: Max POV

**(A/N) Okay, update time. Sorry, but Nudge is going to be eleven too. But first… **

_**VampireWithWings**_ **and anyone with similar thoughts~** **I know they aren't in character, but in order to make the plot line work, they can't be in character. I am aware of the fact that Fang loves Max and doesn't talk so much, but again, it's part of the story and it wouldn't be as good if I made them friends right away, Max wouldn't have been as forward, but that's the plot. As for the talking thing, I'll work on that. But other than fixing Fang's personality, not much is going to change until later on, so if you don't like it the way it is, you might as well not read it. But thanks for your honesty, I appreciate it, really I do. Thank you for the review =) **

**Max POV**

When I first saw him, I knew he was the one. I just knew it. Who am I talking about exactly? Fang. Well, his real name is Nick, but Fang was what I first heard him called, and that's what I call him.

_*********Flashback*********_

I sighed and began unloading the boxes. I missed my old house in Arizona already. Mom wanted to move, and Jeb agreed with her. They thought it would be a good change for us. I can understand that, but it was still hard on me, and my sister Ella. I was only eleven, and Ella was only ten, and neither of us wanted to move.

Ella was already inside, Mom and Jeb didn't make us help, but I wanted to. I thought maybe the Jeb would just stop expecting so much from me. I didn't like how he looked at me as though I would become president someday. But I wouldn't.

I heard some boy across the street yell, "Fang, come on let's go. There's some girl outside, and she's kinda cute. Not really. She's not girly enough for me. But you might like her." That was a surprise. No guys ever called me cute. Or even somewhat cute. It felt kind of nice. I smiled a bit before continuing to move boxes around.

Ugh. It was hot, just like it was in Arizona. I pulled my hair into a messy bun before continuing to help my parents move stuff in. I looked across the street to see a really pretty woman in her twenties walk out and start to talk to a pale boy with strawberry blonde hair.

There was no strain from the weight of the boxes. I was always really strong for my age, and, as Jeb put it, especially strong for a _girl_ my age. That had always made me mad. What, girls can't be tough? All girls have to wear skirts? All girls have to walk around and act all preppy? No. They don't. I am one of those girls who self-respects themselves.

Now, I had already met one girl that I didn't like here in the neighborhood. We had just moved in, and a girl already brought a cake over. She had long red hair and was pretty. She wore a skirt and tank top and thrust the cake in my sister's hands before saying, "You guys are new right? Well, this is my neighborhood, and don't even think about trying to steal away the guy I like, okay? His name's Fang and he's mine. By the way, my name's Lissa. You better remember it."

Ella rolled her eyes and took the cake before giving it to Mom. Neither of us liked this Lissa girl.

I finally finished moving the boxes before sitting down and looking across the street. I saw the boy from before and a new guy who was really cute. I blinked, feeling surprised coarse through my veins. I never thought any guy was cute before.

But this boy was different. He had olive skin and black hair that flopped slightly into his dark eyes that were the color of the dark chocolate cake Lissa gave us. I surprised myself again by blurting out, "Can I play?"

The boys turned to face me. The pale one sneered before saying, "Sorry, Blondie, we don't want any other guys playing with us. Maybe if you were a girl." Okay, so I didn't have any boobs. But I was only eleven, for crying out loud! And I didn't wear my hair down, but that shouldn't matter. I wore jeans and a T-shirt. I was dirty from when I fell down while moving stuff.

I remembered Lissa, and how girly she was. I remembered the dark boy's sister who had talked to the other boy earlier. The rage I felt made me retort back, "I am a girl! I just don't act like that guy's sister!" I harshly stabbed the air in the direction of the dark boy.

The boy that I liked said, "Igs that was pretty harsh." Now what would Igs be a nickname for? Iggy, maybe?

I knew that this boy was special. I knew there was a reason I felt a weird tug towards him. I knew we would probably be great friends, and more someday. I glanced at him, feeling gratitude towards this unfamiliar boy.

Then I winced as I realized I was already feeling weird emotions just because of this boy. I wouldn't let myself change over this guy. No matter how cute he is. "I don't really need you to defend me, but that was so nice of you!" I really wished I washed my hands as I stuck out one of them and stated, "My name is Max! What's your name?"

He didn't shake my hand. He just stared at it. I sheepishly pulled it back. I was embarrassed. I couldn't be mad at him, it was perfectly reasonable for him to not want to get dirty. Wasn't it? I shook my head. He was a nice guy. I just knew it.

Iggy looked at me before sniggering and saying snidely, "She doesn't act like a girl, she doesn't even have a girly name! Are you sure you aren't a boy in disguise?"

That same anger shot through me again. I wanted to punch him so bad, and show him not to mess with me, but the other boy was standing right there, and I didn't want him to hate me for hurting his friend. Gosh, what was wrong with me? So instead of decking the boy, I shouted, "I am! I am a girl! Why do you think I'm not? I just… don't act like most other girls! So you need to just shut up!"

At my last school, a lot of people made fun of me because I was a bit of a tomboy. Except Nudge. She was actually girly, but she was so nice. We were really close friends. I missed her like crazy.

The boys had a silent exchange of information, before I eventually said to the nice boy, "Look, I think you seem like a nice guy. Do you want to be friends, or something?" I tried to keep the hope I felt out of my voice. But still, it was so unlike me to be so… forward. I felt self-consious.

He looked emotionless as he said, "No thanks. I have better things to do than to talk to someone like you." Ouch. That hurt me a little bit. But I couldn't let it show.

I refused to back down. "But I really think we should just give it a shot. We could be really close friends, if you would just try."

He looked right at me and said, "I'm not interested in someone who doesn't seem to understand the concept of personal hygiene. So you know what? I'm gonna go inside now. Please, just leave me alone."

I wouldn't let myself get upset over someone like him. He might be mean right now, but maybe he would be better if he was by himself. It couldn't hurt to ask him later.

Iggy said to his friend, "Nice one, Fang!"

Staring Fang down, I said calmly but seriously, "Okay! But I don't give up easily."

As I watched them walk back into the house I repeated the name Fang in my head over again. I liked that name. I liked _him._


	3. Bonding: Max POV

**(A/N) Hello everybody, thank you to everyone who reviewed! They brighten my day! I will address anonymous reviews at the bottom.**

**Max POV**

So now you know the story how Fang and I met. But do you know how Iggy and I became friends? No, of course not. So step back, and enjoy the ride.

_*********Flashback*********_

I glanced out the window. A year had gone by since I met Fang, and I would occasionally attempt to talk to him. Yeah, that didn't go so well. I never got tongue-tied. I just gave up trying to be forward; besides acting so…girly made me uncomfortable anyway. But he never let's anyone in, and that's not my fault.

Grabbing a book on the way downstairs, I wondered if Fang and Iggy would come out later. Iggy was almost always at Fang's house, and I didn't really know why.

I soaked up the warm rays of California and read my book. It was pretty good, and I was fairly absorbed in my book when I heard a faint shout. I glanced up and saw Iggy cussing like a sailor and examining his badly bleeding arm.

Immediately, I started to feel my one main weakness kicking in. And that weakness was to defend and help anyone in trouble. Okay, so usually it was people weaker than I am, but honestly, I was probably stronger than Iggy anyway.

_Don't help him. He's such a jerk, he doesn't even deserve it._ I tried to convince myself. Iggy was just sitting there looking around for something to absorb the blood in. Why wasn't he going inside? I did notice that Fang wasn't there. So maybe that had something to do with the fact that he was just standing around like a confused idiot. Of course, maybe that's what he was.

Eventually, I felt my heart go out to him. I couldn't just sit there and let him bleed, it was bad to watch. Okay, so I might hate him, but if I had a cut that bad I would want someone to help me.

Sighing, I walked inside and grabbed my mom's first aid kit. I walked back outside to where Iggy was. He stared at me for a second before I snapped out, "Well? Do you want me to help you or not?"

He looked surprised. Wordlessly, he held his arm out to me. The look of confusion was evident on his face as I wiped the deep cut on his arm. I pulled out some antiseptic and warned him, "This could sting."

"Yeah, I know. I know a lot about this kind of stuff. But…" He trailed off, and I didn't want him to continue. I honestly didn't care. He would probably just make fun of me for helping him later anyway.

I began to bandage him, but his long pale fingers cautiously took the gauze from my hand. I watched in silence as he began to wrap the cut. "Thanks."

Honestly, I didn't expect a word of thanks from him. But I still mumbled out, "Yeah."

He looked at me and said grudgingly, "Hey, you know, you really aren't that bad. You don't actually look like a guy."

I made my eyes wide as I said sarcastically, "Well, aren't you just the sweetest? Thanks so much for your touching words of encouragement!"

His pale blue eyes rolled dramatically as he stated, "You're welcome, Maxie Dearest!"

"You're welcome Iggy-poo!"

"Oh Maxie, I just love my nickname!"

"Awww, Iggy-poo, thanks! Mine is awesome too!"

After a bit of bantering, he had me stumped. And thus, the sarcasm war ended. I turned to walk away and he stated, "Wait." I whipped around to face him. "I think we could be friends." He began slowly, "But only if you promise not to be so… obsessive over Fang."

Was it that obvious? I cursed in my head. I was turning into some overly flirtatious brat. Greeeaaaat. Just what I wanted. "Yeah. I didn't even know that you… I mean that I don't try to… It's just that I… well, you know what I mean." In the end, I just gave up.

"Good. It gets annoying having more members of the Fang Fan Club." Iggy said, almost bitterly.

I felt my eyebrows raise a bit, "Jealous?"

He shook his head. "Naw. That's not it. It's just that sometimes; I never get to really talk to Fang. He has a new girlfriend so often, I never talk to him. Sure, I still come to his house, but I might as well not. He's too obsessed with his love life. That's who he's talking to on the phone right now."

Well. That was just fascinating. I didn't like discussing awkward things so I grabbed a soccer ball lying around, grinned at him, and we began to kick the ball back and forth.

Iggy eventually had to go and I was surprised to realize that I was disappointed. I can't believe we were friends. We got along pretty well. I had a feeling that this friendship was going to have _lots_ of bumps in the road, but hey, whatever.

**(A/N) Yeah, it's short, but this chapter wasn't meant to be long. Okay, guys. Niggy or Eggy? There has to be one or the other.**

_**Babycomeback**_** ~ Hey, thanks for reviewing! And you just have to wait and see where this story goes. I have the basic plot line in my head, so expect rather frequent updates.**

_**VampireWithWings**_** ~ Thanks for recommending this to people! I really appreciate it! And duh, no one can resist Fang's charm… unless you're an Iggy supporter, but that's different! And yes, the rest of the flock will be coming in eventually.**

_**YouKnowYouLoveMe**_** ~ I appreciate the review! And I don't know if I would be able to write a Jacob/Bella/Edward/Max/Fang/Iggy think because I **_**detest**_** Miggy. But I will think about it. Right now I have three stories to write, and I wouldn't be able to write it anyway. But I'll keep it in mind!  
**


	4. Bonding: Fang POV

**(A/N) Okay. You guys should seriously be expecting frequent updates because I'm on break and I have nothing to do besides watch a little 5 year old boy…my brother! This is a bit of a "twist". Okay, not really, but it's not something that it would appear to be. This chapter is important to the story, but a bit boring. It gives more of Fang's background information, which is HUGELY important later.**

**Fang POV**

The day that Iggy became friends with Max was a day I'll never forget, because not only did it allow Max into my life more (which I didn't want at all) but I had an interesting conversation on the phone that day, too.

_*********flashback*********_

Iggy was over at my house, and we were talking for awhile until the phone rang. I expected it to be Mary, my girlfriend, and I sighed mentally. I really wanted to just hang out with Iggy, I hadn't gotten the chance to in a really long time. I felt guilty as I realized that was my fault.

Sighing, Iggy got up, and headed out the door. I glanced outside and I noticed Max was outside, her eyes roaming all over the pages of a book.

I looked at the caller ID and saw an unfamiliar number. Probably some guy that wanted to hook up with my mom. We got calls from guys that loved my mom all the time. Well, guys that loved my mom's looks. My mom was only 27 and she looked young for her age, maybe 22 or something.

Removing the phone for the charger I snapped into the phone, "What?"

"That's not a good way to talk to your father."

My world froze. My _father?_ I couldn't even call him my father. He walked out on us as soon as my mom began drinking and partying and seeing other guys. I remember that fight so clearly.

_****flashback inside of the flashback****_

I was huddled in the corner of my room as I heard the screaming. "You blew all our money on alcohol! Again?"

"I can spend money on whatever I want to, you aren't my mother! You're a good for nothing idiot! You're not even good…" She lowered her voice and I couldn't hear what she said.

"Well, clearly that didn't matter when you were fourteen and had that stupid kid!" I winced as I realized he was talking about me.

She was screaming again, "I didn't even know I would get pregnant, okay? And you think I like that kid? He got me thrown out of my house. Why would I like him? I hate him more than you do!"

My dad's voice turned dark and dangerous. "No, I'm certain I hate him more than you do, if he wasn't alive than I wouldn't have to deal with you! Of course, you don't even need me, you don't even like me. You like the other guys that are in our room more than I am!"

My mom didn't deny anything. Instead, I heard the slamming of a door. And for the only time in my life, I cried. That was when I decided I would never let anyone in. Because the only thing that gets you, is pain and misery.

****_end flashback inside of the flashback****_

"What the crap do you want?" I said as blankly as I could.

"I wanted to talk to you. Listen, I'm so sorry for leaving you all those years ago. You were only seven, and it wasn't your fault things didn't work out between me and your mom."

My voice was a bit colder. "I heard what you said about me."

Silence for awhile. "Look, I didn't intend for you to hear that. I didn't mean it, I was just mad. Do you think you can forgive me?"

I slammed the phone down as my response. I couldn't forgive him.

I grabbed some shoes, and I was about to walk outside when I saw Iggy playing with Max. Oh no.

Putting on a careful mask of impassiveness, I walked outside. "Hey man!" Iggy called.

I nodded to him and reluctantly to Max. She looked surprised that I acknowledged her. But that was as much acknowledgement that she would ever get.

**(A/N) Awww, poor Fang! Does anyone else feel bad for him?**


	5. Invitation: Fang POV

**(A/N) Gotta love spring break, I mean, seriously, you get frequent updates from me… =) By the way, it was a tie for the votes from you guys, so I decided to break the tie with a vote of my own so I didn't have to do a separate chapter for an Author's Note. So it's going to be Niggy.**

_**VampireWithWings**_** ~ I was planning on having Fang knowing Iggy since he was about five years old. I thought that I had already mentioned that, and if I didn't, I'm sorry! But that's a good idea, and I might use it later. **

**Fang POV**

Then there was that one accursed, fateful day. When Max invited us to her party_._

_*********Flashback*********_

I walked out the door right behind Iggy. "Hey, Max!" Iggy called out before I could stop him.

Glancing over, I saw Max wave at Iggy and say, "Hi, can you guys come here? I gotta ask you something."

Iggy and I exchanged glances before walking over to see what Max wanted. But before she did anything else she immediately looked at Iggy's arm and asked him, "You feeling any better?"

Shrugging, Iggy said, "Yeah. I just wish someone picked up that [insert swear word of your choice here] glass."

Max laughed, "Well, I guess that would have been a lot better than you having to go through the trauma of getting that cut. Hey, I bet you could sue them for like, emotional scarring or something."

Now Iggy laughed and said, "Probably. Like that lady and her coffee at McDonald's!"

Once their conversation about stupid things you could sue for was over, Max questioned, "Do you want to come to my fourteenth birthday party?"

Now, I kind of wanted to refuse, but I had a feeling that since Max was home-schooled there wasn't a lot of people she could invite. I would feel bad just shooting her down like that. I do happen to have a conscience.

Iggy slowly nodded. "Yeah, I can go. But what are we supposed to get you?"

Max rolled her eyes. "Why would I want you guys to get me anything? I don't have to be pampered or anything. Just show up. The only reason I'm having a party is so that my friend has an excuse to come up and see me."

Laughing, Iggy said, "Okay, whatever makes you happy."

Max turned to me and asked, "So are you gonna come?" I shrugged. "Well, let me know, okay?" I nodded.

I heard a young girl's voice call out, "Max! You need to come inside for a second, Jeb wants to see you."

Max made a face and then hollered back, "Okay, thanks Ella, I'll be there in a second!" Then she turned to us and said quieter, "I got to go, obviously. See ya!"

Shortly after Max left, Iggy's car pulled up to take him home. "Later!" He called before climbing into his SUV. I was left alone, but I didn't want to go inside. Mom was home. She wasn't out partying. I know; I'm shocked too.

Sighing, I trudged inside to see my mom waiting for me. She laughed harshly. "Awwww, look at that! Little Nicky has a girlfriend! I'm surprised there are any girls that like you. If you don't watch out your gonna get some rumors started."

I looked right at her and said just as coldly, "You _would_ know about that, wouldn't you?"

She looked white hot with rage. I swear, her face went white as color drained from her face. Then her hand blurred behind her and struck my cheek. I didn't say anything. I didn't do anything.

"That's not the right way to talk to your mother…" She said trailing off dangerously.

Now I felt the white hot fury. My voice was expressionless, and so was my face as I asked her, "Why do you even call yourself my mom?"

Chuckling darkly, she responded, "I'm sure you've taken sex ed, so we aren't getting into that!"

I almost rolled my eyes. That's one of her favorite things to say. "Grow up." I said with as much menace as I could.

She slapped me again. I stood there and took it, refusing to be knocked over. When she was done, she leaned down in my face and said, "No, kid, _you_ grow up. I should have given you away by now…" But she and I both know that she would never do that. She's too stupid to fill out the paper work. "Now, I'm going out with a new guy tonight, so don't go and trash the house. And you might wanna go to bed early."

My face nearly contorted with disgust as I realized what she was implying. I walked away, not giving her an answer.

I put my iPod in and drowned out the rest of the world. Because drowning out the rest of the world is better than me drowning in it.

**(A/N) You guys probably hate me for being so mean to poor Fang, and I promise it will get better later on. **


	6. Invitation: Max POV

**(A/N) Alright, I got bored…Again. This chapter is very important.**

**Max POV**

I smiled as I remembered the time when I talked to Iggy and Fang about my birthday party. Then I frowned as I remembered what happened afterwards.

_*********flashback*********_

I was sitting on the porch, just waiting for the guys to come outside. No, I wasn't stalking them, I was going to invite them to my birthday party. I was home schooled now, so there weren't that many people I could invite. But I didn't even want a party. Too much attention focused on me.

Hearing a door opening, I jerked my head up to see Fang and Iggy coming outside. "Hey, Max!" I heard Iggy shout to me.

I waved to him and said, "Hi, can you guys come here? I gotta ask you something." They looked at each other for a split second before walking over to where I stood waiting for them.

Before I asked them, I looked down at Iggy's bandaged arm. "You feeling any better?" I inquired.

Iggy shrugged before muttering, "Yeah. I just wish someone picked up that [insert swear word of your choice here] glass…"

I laughed, though I knew that it must hurt really badly. "Well, I guess that would have been a lot better than you having to go through the trauma of getting that cut. Hey, I bet you could sue them for like, emotional scarring or something…"

Then we started to banter about random things to sue for. Eventually, I asked them both, "Do you want to come to my fourteenth birthday party?" I hoped I didn't sound needy. I swear, I didn't really even need a party.

Finally, Iggy nodded and asked me seriously, "Yeah, I can go. But what are we supposed to get you?"

Rolling my eyes, I told him I didn't need anything. I didn't want to have a stupid party, but if I didn't Jeb said he couldn't let Nudge come up to see me. It was so freaking stupid. Just like Jeb himself.

"Okay, whatever makes you happy," Iggy said once he was done laughing at my declaration.

Then I asked Fang if he would come. But I barely got any response. I resisted the urge to hit him in frustration. It was times like that when I really wondered why in the world I would like someone like him. But it's unexplainable.

Ella called from inside, "Max! You need to come inside for a second, Jeb wants to see you!" The way Ella said Jeb, it was so clear that she didn't trust him.

My face contorted. I hated Jeb. Well, I don't know if I hated him, I just didn't know what to think about him. I was confused. He was so hard to understand. I yelled something back to her before bidding the guys goodbye.

When I walked, I saw Jeb sitting down waiting for me. "Hi," I said lamely.

Jeb stared at me and asked, "Why do you talk to them so much?"

I decided to play dumb. "What are you talking about?"  
With a strained look of patience on his face, Jeb replied, "Those boys."

I didn't want to roll my eyes because then Jeb would get all mad and act all superior. He was always telling me crap that I didn't care about. He was a walking talking fortune cookie. So instead if rolling my eyes I said simply, "They're my friends, and they have names."

"I'm sure they do. Did you invite them to your party." I nodded. "You should invite that girl Lissa. It would be a good thing for you experience having another girl your age."

I glared at him and asked, "What about Nudge?"  
He looked uncomfortable. "Well, she's a nice girl and everything, but honestly, you almost never see her and it might not please you if she ends up changing."

"I talk to her on the phone every day! She's still my best friend." I said hotly.

He got that look on his face, that I'm-about-to-say-something-intelligent-so-shut-up look. "Well, Max, I just don't want you getting hurt by those boys."

"Iggy and Fang. Those are their names. Get it right. And I can take care of myself" I was standing up to leave, but Jeb stopped me.

"Maxine Batchelder! Don't show me so much disrespect. That's not the way to talk to your father."

I looked at him in the eyes and said coldly, "How dare you call yourself my father?"

He looked at me and said, "Because that's what I am."

Trying to keep my cool, I said calmly, "No, Jeb. A _real_ father wouldn't leave Mom after she got pregnant. Mom never told me who my father was, and she got remarried. Then you started to visit me. You never paid attention to Ella when she was a baby. I loved you, Jeb. Then you left again. I trusted you, and you left me again. Then Ella's dad died. So Mom had to deal with a husband leaving her, then a husband dying. I guess Mom still loved you because she took you back. But do you think that I will? I haven't seen you do anything to earn my trust! No, Jeb. A _real _dad would have stayed. Instead, I got stuck with you, a pathetic man who cares nothing about me; you just want to keep up your image! So you know what? You aren't my father!" Towards the end I was shouting.

Jeb looked shocked. I gave him attitude all the time, but I rarely exploded on him like this. "Maxine…"

"No. I'm not Maxine. Remember when I was little you told me to have a name I was proud of? Well, I came up with Maximum Ride. Do you remember that? But then you started calling me Maxine Batchelder. Well, I'm not proud to carry the name Batchelder. So it's Maximum Ride." I snapped at him. He looked surprised.

"I'm so sorry for letting you down, Max." He said sadly. We would go through this several times. He would upset me, say sorry, I would forgive him, but each time he would lose more trust. But I wasn't taking this anymore.

"No. You're _not_ sorry."

**(A/N) Okay… yeah this chapter was a bit dark too… but the next one isn't!**


	7. The Party: Fang POV

**(A/N) I felt kinda bad for giving you all these sad chapters, so I'm giving you this one that's a bit happier! For some reason, this was hard to write, so if it's bad, I'm sorry. And this is Max's fourteenth birthday party for those of you who forgot or whatever. Remember, Nudge is thirteen.**

**Fang POV**

The party. Oh yes, the dreaded party. I didn't want to go. But I had to. Honestly though, it really wasn't _that_ bad. I learned that Max really wasn't some creepy stalker. But I still didn't consider her my friend.

_*********flashback********_

I was about ready to leave when Mom decided to make a snide remark. "Awww, you're excited to see your girlfriend, aren't you?"

I stormed out of the house, carefully composing my face. When I was outside, I looked across the street. Max's house wasn't decorated. It just looked normal.

"Hi, Fang!" Turning around, I saw _Lissa_. There she was…the first girlfriend I ever had. She tossed her red hair over her shoulder and smiled at me.

I nodded curtly. That was exactly why I broke up with Lissa – she was such a flirt. It was annoying. I didn't like girls like that. The ones who complimented everything you say, and how they think they're so wonderful.

Scooting closer to me, she grabbed my arm. "I miss you so much Fang! Why can't we just get back together? Please?"

_Would rolling my eyes be a bad thing to do?_ I asked myself silently. In the end I decided against it. Instead, I just kinda stared at Lissa like she was insane. She pouted, and walked over to Iggy and started to flirt with him mercilessly.

"Help me!" Iggy mouthed to me when Lissa wasn't looking. I smirked at him. Normally Iggy loved it when girls flirted with him, except for Lissa. Iggy for some reason just didn't like her. I wondered why Max even invited Lissa. Max hates Lissa.

I walked over to Iggy and Lissa. "Hey Fang." Iggy sounded relieved.

Suddenly, Max called out, "Hey! Iggy! I want you to meet someone." Then she looked at Lissa and scowled. She walked over to us.

She took one look at Lissa and asked a bit harshly, "What are _you_ doing here?"

Lissa looked a bit nervous. Wait…Lissa looked nervous? She wasn't _scared_ of Max. Was she? I looked down at Max. She didn't look very scary. She was wearing jeans and a T-shirt. I guess that's supposed to be terrifying these days. "Um, your dad invited me."

"WHAT!?" Max shouted at the top of her lungs. She looked mad. I mean really, really mad. She walked away looking so wound up, I thought she might pop a screw or something.

Lissa looked after her and said, "Gosh, I hope I didn't do anything wrong…" then she bit her lip. I almost rolled my eyes, again. She wasn't fooling me or Iggy with her innocent act.

Iggy, however, did roll his eyes. "I'm gonna go see who Max wanted me to meet. Fang you wanna come with?" I nodded and we began making our way in the direction which we saw Max go.

Max was still looking a bit angry, but she was talking to another girl and laughing. "No way!" The other girl squealed. "Is he cute? Oh, I bet he is _so _cute! I am so excited! Where is he?"

Max laughed a bit and said, "Look behind you…" The girl spun on her heel. When she turned around I could see that she was pretty. She had mocha-colored skin with super curly dark brown hair and excited brown eyes.

She blushed a bit as she looked at Iggy. She glanced at me, and then tore her eyes back up to Iggy. She was slightly shorter than Max and a lot shorter than Iggy and I. "Hey, what's your name? My name is Monique! But you can call my Nudge. See, I'm Max's best friend from the school she used to go to. I mean, we both used to live in Arizona, well, I still live in Arizona, but Max doesn't. And oh my gosh-"

"Nudge! Shut up, please." Max said, looking amused at her friend. "The taller one is Iggy and then the other guy is Fang."

"Wow, why Fang? That sounds scary…" Nudge said.

I shrugged. Max looked at me in the eyes and asked me, "Do you ever do anything other than shrug or nod or shake your head? I mean seriously…"

Half of my mouth lifted into a slight smile. "No." I told her sarcastically. She rolled her eyes.

Toward the end of the party, I saw my mom head across the street. She was gonna pick me up. I noticed she wasn't walking in a straight line. Oh great. She was drunk. She walked up to me and slurred, "Come on. It's time to go."

But then she saw Max. Max looked like she was trying to keep the disgust on her face. "What are you looking at?"

Max didn't say anything. She clamped down hard and looked as though she was restraining herself from saying anything. "Whatever. Come on, Fang. Let's go. But maybe you belong here with these other losers."

Iggy looked shocked. My mom almost never said that kind of stuff when she was around other people. No, she never did. But she wasn't in control right now, she was drunk.

Nudge also looked surprised. But she didn't even know me. Slowly, she and Iggy went back to their conversation and talked with a bit too much animation.

Max didn't look surprised. She looked like she expected this. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Who would I tell anyway? But maybe you should talk about it."

"No." I said a bit coldly.

"Are you sure?" She asked, looking concerned. But I didn't need her sympathy. I couldn't let her in. I couldn't let myself talk to her.

Then I walked away thinking that maybe Max wasn't so bad. Maybe if she wasn't so… I don't know, maybe we could have been friends.

**(A/N) Alright! Review please! :)**


	8. The Party: Max POV

**(A/N) I am shocked. I am two reviews away from 100 and I'm on chapter 8. Thank you guys so much to everyone who reviewed, it makes me so happy to see people get enjoyment out of me entertaining myself! Really, thank you so much!**

_**VampireWithWings **_**~ Nah, it's cool, I like to answer questions :) Um, there will be one action chapter later on that's really important. But that's all I'm saying.**

The party. I remember that party. It was the first party I ever had since I was about seven. It was pretty good. A little drama, but it was pretty fun anyway.

*********_flashback*********_

My house was still simple and normal looking. I mean, what was the point in decorating my house? So what, I was having a party. Like it matters what the house looks like.

People weren't arriving at the party that fast so I was just sitting down and talking to Nudge. "I miss you so much, Max! I wish you could just move back, it isn't even fair that you had to leave!"

I sighed. "I miss you too, Nudge. I wish I didn't have to move either. But at least we get to see each other once a month, and you get to visit for my breaks and stuff."

Nudge made a face. "Yeah. But still, you would think my parents would want me home to spend time with them. But they don't. I wish they did. My parents don't love me." Nudge was rich. Her parents were almost always away, on some cruise, or something. They hired someone to watch after her.

I wrapped an arm around Nudge. "Nudge, um, I'm sure they love you." I'm not too great at dealing with that kind of stuff, you know, the emotional gunk.

Nudge then looked at me right in the face. "Max… I should have told you this sooner. But…" Nudge bit her lip. I gestured for her to continue. "My parents they don't want me to go back. I heard them talking one night, one of the only nights when they were home. My mom said, 'I wish she could just stay with her little friend.'"

I squeezed her tighter. Then I heard Mom. "What did your parents say?"

Nudge looked startled. Nudge explained everything. "Oh, honey. You're always welcome here." Mom hugged Nudge.

Nudge looked like she was almost about to cry. "Thanks, Dr. Martinez."

Then they started seriously talking about asking Nudge's parents to give custody to Mom and Jeb. I was shocked. Shell shocked. "Well, sweetheart, I'm sure Jeb will be fine with it. You can call your parents soon."

Nudge broke down. "Thank you so much."

Mom walked off, to find Jeb, I suppose. I began to attempt to distract Nudge. "So. I see Iggy's here." Then I shouted. "Hey! Iggy! I want you to meet someone."

Then I saw who was with him. I could feel myself begin to grow angry beyond belief. I stalked over to Iggy, Fang, and _Lissa_. I tried to control my voice, but I could hear a bit of venom in it as I asked, "What are _you_ doing here?"

Lissa looked scared. Just a bit. But she was definitely scared. It wasn't a secret that I absolutely hated her. Everyone knew it, and that was okay, I could care less. But seriously, why would she be scared of me? She finally managed to say, "Um, your dad invited me."

To say I was surprised wouldn't cover half of what I was feeling. "WHAT?!" I screamed. Lissa flinched.

I stormed off to find Jeb. But then I decided against it. I walked over to Nudge, not wanting her to be alone. She smiled at me, and I smiled back.

I was still mad, but I didn't want Nudge to be upset. "So there's someone I want you to meet. A guy. His name's Iggy." I laughed at Nudge's excited expression.

"No way!" She squealed. Her parents were forgotten by now. "Is he cute? Oh, I bet he is _so _cute! I am so excited! Where is he?"

I laughed and saw Iggy and Fang standing right behind Nudge. Iggy looked kinda confused, and Fang just had a blank mask on his face. "Look behind you…"

Nudge spun around quickly. She looked at Iggy then at Fang before quickly looking back up at Iggy again. She blushed and began to ramble. "Hey, what's your name? My name is Monique! But you can call my Nudge. See, I'm Max's best friend from the school she used to go to. I mean, we both used to live in Arizona, well, I still live in Arizona, but Max doesn't. And oh my gosh-"

I looked at her. I was amused. She normally talked that much, but she was nervous. "Nudge! Shut up, please." When I saw she was a bit more calm I continued, "The taller one is Iggy and then the other guy is Fang."

"Wow, why Fang? That sounds scary…" Nudge said, sounding the slightest bit confused.

Fang shrugged. Okay, now I was starting to get irritated. I might like this guy a lot, but does he ever freaking _talk_? "Do you ever do anything other than shrug or nod or shake your head? I mean seriously…"

He smiled lopsidedly. It was adorable. Whoa, Max, chill out. I struggled to make sure I didn't like, go into overdrive or something. "No," He said. I rolled my eyes.

Then I saw Fang's mom. She still looked pretty, but she had a faraway look in her eyes. She walked towards us in a zigzag line. She looked at Fang and said in half formed words, "Come on. It's time to go."

I was fighting not to let utter contempt and disgust show on my face. "What are you looking at?" I longed to say something along the lines of, "A stupid drunk lady," But instead, I kept my mouth shut, not wanting Nudge to get worried. Nudge cared about me a lot, but she knew I had trouble keeping my mouth shut, and that often landed me in bad situations.

"Whatever. Come on, Fang. Let's go. But maybe you belong here with these other losers." Fang's mom said.

Iggy looked stunned. Nudge looked scared and worried and surprised, but only I would be able to see the worry and fear on her face. Fang's mom had stumbled away after her "clever" comment. Nudge and Iggy began talking a bit too enthusiastically, trying to distract themselves from what had happened.

I wasn't surprised. I knew Fang's mom didn't treat him right. I just had this weird feeling. When he looked at his mom there was something in his eyes… I don't know. But there was something there. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. Who would I tell anyway? But maybe you should talk about it." I stated softly.

Fang looked at me and said with a hint of ice in his voice, "No."

"Are you sure?" I knew he would refuse any help, but I had to try. I was worried. I knew what it was like to have a parent who hated you. Okay, so Jeb didn't hate me, but I knew he didn't like me.

Fang simply walked away. I stared after him for a second before joining Iggy and Nudge's conversation. Nudge raised an eyebrow at me, but I waved it off making it look like I was emphasizing my words.

Fang could trust me. But he didn't. And it hurt. I would never, ever admit it, but it hurt.

**(A/N) Okay, sorry for making Nudge have horrible parents too, but I had to find a way to make Nudge and Iggy be able to get together, and Nudge and Max had to be closer. Plus, this helps with the plot a bit. And I know nothing about whether or not you can just change custody like that, but you know what? That's what happened.**


	9. First Day: Fang POV

**(A/N) Over 100 reviews. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!! And guess what… no more flashbacks!!!!! Okay, before I get a bunch of "Brigid's got red hair, not blonde," complaints, she used to be blonde in TFW before she mysteriously and spontaneously dyed her hair or something… so she stays blonde. (And for those of you who don't believe me, check page 91 in TFW.) Some of Fang and Brigid's conversation might be slightly familiar. Max, Fang, Iggy, and Nudge are all fifteen. And there's confusion over Max's hair too, so she's got dirty blonde hair with lighter blonde streaks in here, okay?**

**Fang POV**

"Nick! Get your sorry butt outta bed right now!" My eyes snapped open at my mother's voice. I glanced at the clock. It was about 7:15; time to get ready for school.

It was the first day of school. Our school was actually pretty small, but there were usually a couple new kids every year. I would be a sophomore this year and I was pretty excited. Not that I'd ever actually tell anyone I was excited about an aspect of school.

Charging down the stairs, I wondered what new kids would be at school. Maybe some new girls. I never told anyone this, but the only reason I dated around so much is because I really do believe in true love. If Iggy knew that, I would regret it for the rest of my life. But I really do think that eventually I will find a girl I truly love, but so far, I haven't met her yet.

But enough with the sappy comments about me and true love. I really just wanted to get out of the house. Spending a whole summer with my mom and her boyfriends wasn't exactly the most fun thing that I've ever done in my life.

"Bye Mom," I said curtly before rushing out the door. I was close enough to school that I could walk, so that's what I did.

When I arrived at the school, I walked through the doors and saw a bunch of people all whispering about something. They were all guys in my class. I recognized Sam, one of the popular guys.

Usually when the guys were talking it was because some new chick started to go to our school. I mentally rolled my eyes. The guys at my school were all girl-crazy, including Iggy.

I was actually surprised at Iggy's relationship status. He actually hit if off really well with Nudge and had been going out with her about a week after Max's party.

And then there was Max. She left me alone. Yes, I was shocked too. She didn't even say hi to me or anything. When I asked Iggy about it he said, "I dunno, maybe she wanted to give you space after the whole incident with your mom. Or maybe she's just stalking you and you don't know it." After he said that I slugged him in the arm lightly.

I went up to the front office and I got my locker number. Heading down the halls toward my locker, I saw familiar looking strawberry blonde hair.

But along with that strawberry blonde hair I saw dark brown hair that fell in curls. But if Nudge was here… "Iggy!"

Iggy's head jerked toward me. "Yeah?"

I walked over keeping my face creepily impassive. "So what's Nudge doing here?"

He shot me this look that clearly said _what are you stupid_? "Um well, she's here to help breed a long lost type of penguin existent only in Argentina. What do you think she's doing here, Mister I-get-good-grades-but-I'm-actually-quite-stupid?"  
I rolled my eyes at him and said curtly, "She was home schooled. With Max."

"Yeah, she was enrolled here with Max. Is that a problem?" He asked with a devilish smile.

Rolling my eyes again, I said, "No. Gotta go." And with that I walked away.

Max would be going to school with me? Great. Just what I needed to here. Things had been so weird between us. And I knew that if I wanted to talk to her, she would talk to me. But did I want to talk to her? I don't even really know.

I finished the walk to my locker. When I got there I put all my pencils and other school crap inside it. When I slammed it shut, I saw a blonde girl standing there. "Yeah?"

I heard something behind me, a set of familiar footsteps. I couldn't quite place my finger on whose they were, but they were recognizable. Somehow hard and soft at the same time. It almost came to me, but the girl blushed, distracting me. "Um, I think that's my locker…" She showed me a piece of paper that had numbers identical to my locker except for a seven that looked like a one.

She was cute. Really pretty eyes, nice blonde hair. She looked smart. "It's a seven." I said, jabbing my finger at the piece of paper.

Letting out a laugh that showed her embarrassment, she said, "Oh, I'm so sorry! My name is Brigid Dwyer, how about you?"

I tried to make my voice slightly more friendly. "Fang."

While she pondered this she asked me, "How old are you?"

"Fifteen." I responded quickly.

She looked a bit surprised. "You seem older…" She murmured. I shrugged. "Well, I'm sixteen. But I'm a senior." The blush returned.

It was my turn to be surprised. But I was careful not to let it show. "Wow." Was all I said. I was right. She was smart.

"Yeah, I skipped a couple of grades. But it looks like I gotta go, it was so nice to meet you," She flashed me a warm smile before walking away.

"Seems like you have _a lot _of friends here, huh Fang?" I spun around to see Max standing beside me.

How could I have not noticed her there? Then it hit me. I must be as stupid as Iggy says I am… Max was standing behind me this whole time. I smirked at her and began, "Yeah, I do. What about you? You got any friends yet?"  
She sneered a bit. "Yeah, I do actually…remember Iggy and Nudge go to school here?"

I rolled my eyes and said in the same tone of voice, "Whatever. Don't want to be late."

Something was there in her eyes as she walked by. Something that was a cross of confusion, frustration and maybe…hurt? Why would she be hurt? For some reason, it bugged me that I might have offended her. So I stood there and waited.

Max glared at me and asked frostily, "What are you waiting for? I thought you didn't want to be late."

I snatched her schedule despite her protests. She had the same homeroom as me. "What the heck are you doing?"

"I'm walking you to homeroom." I said flatly.

Surprise flitted over her face. "Okay?" She said it almost like she was confused. Then she became confident and more like the Max I had become familiar with. "I really don't need any help, actually. Thanks anyway though."

Oh no. She wasn't getting off that easily. I told her I would help her, so I'm helping her. "I always finish what I start," I told her.

The glare was back. "I can handle it!" She insisted stubbornly.

Well, Miss Max had another thing coming if she thought I would give up just like that. "Too bad, Maxine." I added her full name so she would know that I meant _business._

She got this look of defiance on her face immediately. Muttering under her breath, she started walking beside me as I guided her through the halls. "Fang?"  
I turned to look at her. "Can you do me a favor? Never call me Maxine again or I will cheerfully knock you out."

"Why not?" I asked her, genuine curiosity in my voice.

She got this faraway look in her eyes. "Because my _true_ name is Maximum Ride."

Was she just being melodramatic? No, I don't think so. That wasn't like Max. "What do you mean?"

Looking slightly panicked, she glanced around. She regained her composure so quickly; I blinked, just a bit. "Look at that. Room 142. I'll talk to you later," She said curtly before walking into the room.

Disbelief flooded through me. What was with her? One minute she wants to be my girlfriend, and the next minute she's like this.

One thing I knew for certain. I would figure out what was up with Maximum Ride.

**(A/N) I loved this chapter. I thought I did a pretty good job, what about you? Why don't you hit that review button and tell me…**


	10. First Day: Max POV

**(A/N) I was so eager to write this chapter in Max's POV; I started it right after I finished the last one. So now I'm updating! Be happy! Oh, and Max wanting to change her name was an idea from **_**Madeline Cullen**_**so thanks for letting me use it :)**

**Max POV**

"Max, sweetheart, time to get up!" I flinched as I was jerked out of my dreams. Then I flinched as I realized Jeb had called me _sweetheart._ I'm not his sweet anything.

I slowly walked to the bathroom. I got undressed and hopped in the shower. Sighing as the hot water ran down my back, I wondered absently who would be at school. I knew Iggy and Fang would be there, but I hoped there would be some nice kids there.

I refused to let myself worry about my first day of real school since I moved here. Knowing that I would be in an unfamiliar environment made me feel uncomfortable. But luckily I would have Nudge and Iggy if I needed help or anything, thought I'd rather not get any help from anyone.

Reluctantly, I turned the water off. I got dressed in my usual jeans and T-shirt before exiting the bathroom and heading downstairs. I saw Jeb sitting at the table and I resisted the urge to make a face at him. "Good morning, Maxine."

That was something that troubled me. Why wouldn't he listen to my pleas about my name? Now was one of those rare moments when I was slightly nervous. "Um, Jeb?"

"Yes, Maxine?" There it was again…it keeps coming back.

I gulped a bit before making my voice strong and confident. "I want to change my name."

Something clattered to the floor. I glanced down to see the fallen spoon. "What?"  
"I want to change my name." I said with even more emotion in it than before. "I know it can be done legally and if you want me to, I'll look into it-"

I was cut off abruptly by Jeb's scolding voice. "I want you to let it go."

"No!" I said angrily. It was my own name; I should be able to choose what it is.

Jeb looked tired and old suddenly. His hair was thinning and he was starting to get wrinkles. "Max…please, not right now."

I surprised myself as well as him. I stopped and didn't say anything.

"Max!" At the sound of Nudge's voice, I pasted a smile on my face. Nudge walked down the stairs wearing designer jeans and a purple shirt. Her hair was splayed around her shoulders. The sun hit her hair from the window bringing out the almost unnoticeable natural paler brown highlights in her hair. She was beautiful, as always. "Do I look okay?"

At that moment my smile became genuine. "You look great, Nudge." I told her honestly.

She smiled warmly at me. Then her look became one of mock horror. "What are you wearing?"

I rolled my eyes. She laughed. She once tried to get me to wear more girly clothes, but eventually she figured out that I was not one to be messed with about my looks. She lowered her voice so Jeb wouldn't hear and said playfully, "Fang's never gonna notice you if you wear that."

Once Nudge found out that I liked Fang, she never let it go. "Shut up!" I said jokingly. She just grinned at me.

We both grabbed a bunch of granola bars before running out the door. Mom was already at work and Ella didn't have to get up yet since she was still in middle school. "Later," I called out to Jeb before slamming the door.

After we arrived at the school, Nudge rushed off, probably to find Iggy. I sighed. I guess I should get Nudge's locker number for her. I walked up to the office and retrieved my locker number as well as Nudge's.

When I backed out of the office, I bumped into a girl. She was a bit shorter than me, with warm brown eyes and brown hair that hit her shoulders. She looked Hispanic and was lean with muscle. She offered me a smile and said, "Oh man, I'm sorry about that!"

I smiled back. "Nah, it's okay. This is my first day, so I'm a bit confused; it was probably my fault anyway."

She laughed. "I remember my first day here, don't worry, you'll get used to stuff quickly, it's a small school."

"I noticed that! By the way, I'm Max." I stuck my hand out.

The girl took and shook my hand. "Sofia. Well, I gotta run now, but it was great talking to you." And with that she walked away.

I began making my way down the hall to where my locker was supposed to be according to the confusing map I received. On the way to my locker, I saw a couple of people whispering and I heard mine and Nudge's name in the conversation. How did people already know about me?  
When I got to my locker, I saw Fang in front of me talking to a pretty blond girl. She seemed really intelligent. She blushed, faking shyness. But I could tell she was definitely checking him out. "Um, I think that's my locker." She said.

Fang glanced at the paper before saying something about a seven. She laughed with false embarrassment laced in her voice. I almost rolled my eyes at the girl's pathetic flirting. Until I saw Fang's look of faint interest. My heart plummeted. "Oh, I'm so sorry! My name is Brigid Dwyer, how about you?" She asked sweetly. A little _too_ sweetly if you ask me…

"Fang." He replied with a touch of kindness in his voice.

Brigid looked a bit triumphant. "How old are you?"

"Fifteen." Fang said shortly after she asked him.

She pretended to look surprised. "You seem older…" She said softly. When Fang shrugged, she stated, "Well, I'm sixteen. But I'm a senior." Oh, was it really so necessary that you brag about how you're so stupendous? No. It was totally unnecessary. Totally.

"Wow," My eyes widened. He wasn't _into_ her, was he? He couldn't be. That just… that wouldn't work.

"Yeah, I skipped a couple of grades. But it looks like I gotta go, it was so nice to meet you," Brigid finally finished before smiling at him flirtatiously.

Struggling to keep the jealousy in my voice under control, I asked Fang. "Seems like you have _a lot _of friends here, huh Fang?"

For a second, I saw surprise become etched n his face. Then it was gone. He smirked at me. "Yeah, I do. What about you? You got any friends yet?"

I sneered slightly. "Yeah, I do actually…remember Iggy and Nudge go to school here?" I wanted so badly to say that he was my friend, but I really don't think he would ever like me as a friend or anything else.

He said in a matching sarcastic tone, "Whatever. Don't wanna be late."

Hurt coursed through me. I tried to stop it, but it crashed on me like a giant wave. Pulsing through my veins along with this hurt was a feeling of intense frustration. I was honestly a bit confused, and I honestly thought he would say he was my friend. Seems like I'm wrong a lot these days.

He wouldn't be able to see my emotion. He didn't know me well enough. I looked away and shoved everything in my locker that I wouldn't need.

When I closed my locker, I was shocked to see Fang still standing there. I asked him in an icy cold tone, "What are you waiting for? I thought you didn't want to be late." My sarcasm leaked through my voice.

Suddenly my schedule was snatched away. "Stop that! Give it back!" He ignored me as his eyes scanned the page. I tipped my head up to glare at him. _He's too freaking tall._ I thought to myself. But I knew that I secretly like that about him. "What the heck are you doing?"

His voice was lacking emotion as he plainly stated, "I'm walking you to homeroom."

I tried to prevent the surprise from spreading across my face. In my baffled state I said/asked, "Okay?" But then I remembered I was supposed to be cool, calm and never need anyone's help. "I really don't need any help, actually. Thanks anyway though."

"I always finish what I start." His voice sent chills down my spine. It was deep and determined. Very nice.

Once my bout of admiration was over I stared at him coldly. "I can handle it!" I said, refusing to let him get the better of me in anything.

In a tone that clearly said no-nonsense he said, "Too bad, Miss Maxine."

I began mumbling. "Stupid idiot, who does he think he is? Why should I even walk with him when he doesn't even know me? If he knew me he would know I hate being called that." I strongly doubted he could understand what I was saying.

"Fang?" When he looked at me I firmly declared, "Can you do me a favor? Never call me Maxine again or I will cheerfully knock you out."

"Why not?" He questioned, and he actually sounded like he _cared_.

I could feel myself getting spaced out as I thought back to this morning and my argument with Jeb. "Because my _true_ name is Maximum Ride."

"What do you mean?" His question immediately snapped me out of my daydreams. I panicked a bit. He couldn't know about my family life. He didn't deserve to know.

"Look at that. Room 142. I'll talk to you later," I said abruptly, ignoring his confused facial expression.

I was so confused. What was wrong with me? Didn't I like Fang? Yes. There was no doubt about it. He could be a jerk sometimes, but today he seemed like he might actually want to know me better. No, the question wasn't what was wrong with me; it was what was wrong with _us_.

**(A/N) Two updates in like 3 hours… This is so much fun to write! Sofia (I can call you that, right?) I really hope I got your personality right :) Oh, by the way: If any of you want to be in this fanfiction I can put you in here! I need to know certain things though about you.**

**Your name or what you want to be called**

**Your personality**

**Physical appearance**

**A lot of you are probably wondering why I need people. Well, Max, Fang, Iggy, and Nudge have to have a social group and I would love to involve you guys because YOU ROCK! So the first 3-4 people who leave the information, I can put you in here. If no one puts this stuff down, then there will be OCs which I would rather not do.**


	11. Opinions: Fang POV

**(A/N) I was pretty excited to get this up. And my gosh, I was so surprised with all the feedback I got and with how many people wanted to be in this… I'm trying to think of various ways to include everyone, but I don't know how many of you guys I'll be able to fit in here. But I'm trying. If I don't capture anyone's personality right, please, please, please TELL ME! I will not be offended!**

**Fang POV**

Max was already in the classroom. I stared at her, hoping she would meet my gaze. She didn't.

I had a pretty nice teacher for homeroom this year. Iggy and Nudge were in a different homeroom, but I saw one of my friends, Sam, was in the room. Well, he was sort of my friend. He was really preppy, but he could be pretty cool sometimes.

I slid into the seat next to him. "Hey, Fang. How was your summer?" One thing about Sam: he's very polite.

Shrugging, I focused on the teacher as she said, "Oh! It seems we have an unfamiliar face this year!" Her gaze focused in on Max.

Max's face flushed. I knew Max hated extra attention, and she didn't appear to be very comfortable. I glanced around the room and examined people's reaction to her.

Several guys in the class were eyeing her with something that looked like admiration or maybe interest. People were interested in her. Well. That's just _fascinating._

"So, dear, what's your name?" Mrs. Henderson asked.

Although Max hated all the attention focused on her she said confidently, "Max."

Mrs. Henderson scanned the list in her hands and said, "Ah yes, you must be Maxine Batchelder and I hope th-"

"No. It's just Max." She cut in. I saw Mrs. Henderson's eyes raise. Max looked back at her defiantly.

"Well, alright then." Mrs. Henderson fidgeted a bit under Max's hard stare.

Once homeroom was over, we all left the room. I saw Max talking to a group of people. Suddenly Sam walked up to her and started talking to her. She looked as though she was laughing a bit before walking off to her locker.

Iggy, Nudge, Max, and I all had history next period. One of the girls Max was talking to followed her. "…yeah, he's pretty cute too! You should talk to him, you said he seemed nice, and he is. And cute. But I already said that."

Max was laughing quietly. Nudge was walking into the room and slid down next to Max with a girl who had brown hair with lighter highlights. She was nodding her head to something Nudge was saying although she had a spaced out look in her eyes.

I sat down next to Iggy and he said, "That's Nudge's new friend, Susie. She seems really nice."

Susie started laughing. "She seems like a nice girl." Iggy nodded and we started talking about random stuff that didn't matter until the bell rang.

We continued with our day until lunch time. We rushed to the cafeteria. Max, Iggy, Susie, the girl Max was talking to earlier, Nudge, two other girls, and I were all sitting at the same section of a table.

One girl was staring at me. I recognized her vaguely, I had never really talked to her before, but I remembered her name was Ray. She bent over and whispered something in Max's ear and Max clutched the table a bit. Ray said something back to her before all the girls started laughing.

Ray gestured to a girl whose nose was buried in a book, her eyes wandering over the pages quickly. "She's Rebecca. She's what we call a dork. But she's cool in her own way."

"What?" Rebecca asked, picking her head up.

The other girl shook her head, "Don't worry about it Rebecca. I'm Deni. Or Den-den." She had curly brown hair and very dark eyes. She was slightly tan.

We were talking throughout lunch when Sam came up to our table. "Can I sit here?" He asked, pointing to the chair next to Max.

"Yeah. Why would I care?" Max asked, sounding a bit confused.

Sam looked surprised as if some girl would be immune to his charm. Yeah. Whatever. Like I care.

At the end of lunch, Sam fell into step next to me and said, "She's hot."

"Who?" I asked him.

He rolled his eyes and replied, "Max. I can't believe she doesn't have a boyfriend." I rolled my eyes. Max wasn't hot. Was she? I never really noticed. "Haven't you heard what everyone's saying about her?"

I shook my head. "Well, I can't believe you turned her down. She's amazing. Did you see her eating?"

Um no. Sorry I'm not a stalker and I don't watch random people eat. Why would I? But I didn't think that would be an appropriate response. So instead I just said, "No."

"She actually eats! She doesn't eat like she's afraid of being fat or whatever. But like she'd need to worry about that anyway. With her body…" He trailed off smiling suggestively.

This annoyed me. Sure, I might not like Max, but that doesn't give someone the right to say something like that. Or maybe I do like Max. You know, as a friend and all. "She's nice." I said without thinking. And she was when she wanted to be.

"I guess. But it doesn't matter what she acts like." He said shrugging. "I got to go, so later, man." Suddenly I didn't like Sam as much.

We got released early since it was the first day of school. I saw Brigid standing at my locker beside Max. "Hey, Fang!" She said before smiling at me.

I casually nodded my head at her. "So, how was your day?"

I shrugged. Her smile faltered the tiniest bit. "My day was pretty good. You know, I really like talking to you…" She said before placing a delicate looking hand on my shoulder.

I gave her a half smile and she grinned at me and said, "I really hope we can, you know, hang out or something." And that was when I realized she was flirting with me.

I nodded and she walked away. But on her way she bumped into Max and sent both of their stuff flying everywhere. I bent over and helped Brigid. I didn't want to offend Max again.

Glaring at Brigid, Max turned to me and asked, "Why are you friends with her?"

"Why do you care?" I shot back.

Max ran a hand through her hair. "I honestly don't even know." That same frosty tone from before was back. "After all, if you want to be friends with people like that, I don't even get why bother with Ig and Nudge."

"Aren't we friends?" I asked her before I thought my question through.

She looked at me skeptically. "I don't know. Are we?"

"I hope so." I blurted out. I attempted to suppress a blush after I realized what I said. Max had to suppress laughter. She sounded a bit surprised.

Max grinned at me unexpectedly. "Well, I guess so then."

A couple of people were staring at us, wondering what was going on. I knew they couldn't hear what we were saying.

People would judge me depending on who I was friends with. But it doesn't matter what other people think. Everyone has their own opinions.

**(A/N) How did I do? Fang and Max are friends now! So you better be at least slightly happy!**


	12. Opinions: Max POV

**(A/N) Hi and Hello! Thanks for reviewing, everyone! **_**Underline and Italics is Nudge during Note passing.**__**Max is just Italics.**_

**Max POV**

I took a deep breath and walked into the classroom, making sure to avoid Fang's gaze. There was just something about those midnight black eyes that seemed to see right through me. I didn't want to tell him about Jeb yet. I wasn't comfortable with that.

Still deep in thought, I was surprised when the teacher, Mrs. Henderson exclaimed, "Oh! It seems we have an unfamiliar face this year!"

Several people turned their curios gazes on my face. A few guys' stare lingered, and I wondered if there was crap on my face or something. I blushed slightly. "So, dear, what's your name?"

Struggling to keep my voice cool and collected, I responded, "Max."

Mrs. Henderson examined the list she was holding, probably looking for my name or something. "Ah yes, you must be Maxine Batchelder and I hope th-"

Before she even got the chance to finish her word, let alone her _sentence_ I interrupted. Yeah, I was rude, but whatever. "No. It's just Max." The teacher looked surprised, as though she was the most wonderful teacher ever and that she was deeply shocked that I disagreed with anything she said. Yeah, okay then…

I glared back at her, daring her to say anything. I was a bit of a rebel when it comes to authority, but I only blame Jeb. Eventually, she squirmed and said, "Well, alright then." And continued with the rest of her homeroom duties.

I talked to a few girls, Susie, Ray, Deni, and Rebecca. They were all really nice.

At the end of homeroom, a cute boy walked up to me. Hazel eyes, sandy brown eyes, a warm smile. He looked really sweet. "Hey, Max. I think it's really cool how you stood up to her. I'm Sam, by the way."

Returning his smile, I said, "Thanks." We talked a bit more, with us both occasionally laughing.

Ray walked up to me once Sam was gone and half-gushed, "Dang! Sam already likes you?"

I shrugged and said, "He just seemed nice."

"Yeah, he's pretty cute too! You should talk to him, you said he seemed nice, and he is. And cute. But I already said that." Ray said, giving me a bit of a wink. I laughed.

We got to the history room and Nudge slid down in the seat beside me. Nudge was babbling about something, but I was a bit busy thinking about my conversation with Fang, Little Miss Stupendous (LMS), and Sam.

I saw a piece of paper land on my desk. Curious, I unfolded it and saw Nudge's neat handwriting. _So, talking to a cute boy, are we?_

I scribbled down on the paper, _How did you know about that?_

_Ray told me. She seems nice and everything :)_

_Yeah, she is. But I don't know, he was really sweet and stuff._

_Does Max have a little crush?_ I scowled.

I wrote down furiously, _Um, no!_

_Oh, that's right. You like FANG!!!!!__ :)_

Refusing to pass the note back, I tucked it away inside my binder and waited until the bell rang before quickly exiting the room.

When we got to lunch, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Susie, Deni, Ray, Rebecca, and I were all sitting down together. I noticed Ray staring at Fang. "Hey, he's so cute. I think he's _definitely _my type."

I almost jumped when I heard Ray's voice in my ear. Then her words sparked a slight annoyance. I felt my fingers grip the table. "Relax. I was just kidding. No, he definitely seems more like your type."

We all started laughing then, although mine was forced. I noticed Iggy and Fang giving us curious stares, but we all ignored them and breezed through introductions.

We were in the middle of a conversation about spiders with Nudge babbling, "…Yeah, and it just like jumped on me! And it was so disgusting!"

We all laughed and Iggy said "gallantly", "I would protect you, my lady!" Nudge giggled slightly.

Then Sam walked up to us. "Can I sit here?" He asked me, gesturing to the chair next to me.

Was this some freaky California school custom? Do you have to ask where you sit? I was so confused. I mean, why would he want to sit by me, and why did he ask? What was going on? Did he actually _like_ me? "Yeah. Why would I care?"

He got this look on his face. I don't know what it was, but it was gone quickly, and I barely even noticed that his facial features had changed even the slightest bit. We started talking about everything, from music, to politics, to animals. He was so sweet.

At the end of lunch, all the girls began grilling me about Sam. "So. Sam, huh?" Deni asked me, raising her eyebrows a bit.

"Um, no. Well, I don't know. Why do I care?" I asked, confusing even myself.

After bantering on for a bit, I walked over to my locker. I saw towards our locker Fang talking with… _her_. The little Smarty Pants. Miss Genius. Miss 168 IQ. Miss Amazingly Pretty And Too Freaking Smart For Her Own Good. She placed a hand on his shoulder and batted her eyelashes a bit. I think I might puke.

He smiled a bit and she flashed him a smile, showing perfect white teeth. On my way to my locker, Brigid saw me, and her eyes narrowed and she "accidentally" bumped into me. "Oops. _Sorry_." She said with acid dripping off the word "sorry".

Then when Fang turned to help her pick up her things, that stupid smile returned. Why didn't he help me? Did he like her better? She was all… girly and crap. Iggy said he hated girls like that? What was wrong with me? Why am I asking myself so many questions?

Glaring at Brigid when she was out of hearing distance, I inquired, "Why are you friends with her?"

He got this look that was slightly defensive. "Why do you care?"  
To say I was frustrated would be an understatement. I ran a hand through my hair. "I honestly don't even know." My voice took on a tone that seemed to have icicles hanging off it, "After all, if you want to be friends with people like that, I don't even get why bother with Ig and Nudge."

"Aren't we friends?" He blurted out with an almost childlike hope reflecting in his eyes. In his rather beautiful eyes.

Focus, Max. "I don't know, are we?"

"I hope so!" He said with that same look on his face, softening his angular features.

I did something that I'm sure surprised both of us. I grinned. I was happy. I finally was friends with Fang. If that's all I'd ever get, then shoot, I'd take it. But that doesn't mean I'm giving up. "Well, I guess so then."

People were watching us. I hoped Brigid was one of them.

I was friends with Fang. People would judge me depending on who I was friends with. But it doesn't matter what other people think. Everyone has their own opinions.


	13. Assignment: Fang POV

**(A/N) Alrighty! I updated pretty quickly, so I hope you're happy :) Sorry, there's more drama with Fang and his mom in this chapter.**

**Fang POV**

A couple of days had gone by since the first day of school. Well, actually a few weeks had gone by. I was about to head off to school when Mom came charging in my room. "Nicky baby?" She asked me in a voice that I knew meant she needed something.

"Gotta go." I stated firmly, attempting to push Mom out of the way.

She glared at me with icy blue eyes. "I don't think so. I need money."

I suppressed a sigh. Lately, Mom had been begging for money so she could go out and do God only knows what. I had given her some until I found out what she was using it for. "No."

A sneer marred her pretty facial features as she tipped her head back to look at me. I stood a good seven inches taller than her, maybe more than that. After all, I was about 6'2" now. "If you don't give me my money I'll…"

She trailed off. It was my turn to sneer. She knew I was much, much stronger than her and if she hit me, I would hit back. Or at least, she thought I would hit back. I really wouldn't, she was still my mom no matter how badly she acted.

The sneer left her face and she said harshly. "Just give me the money, you stupid good for nothing little…" A stream of profanities left her lips and it took everything I had not to flinch.

I pushed past her and ran up to my room and grabbed all of my money. I held it above my head, knowing she wouldn't be able to reach it. I ran out the door and shoved all the money in my backpack. "Hey, Fang!"

Spinning around quickly, I saw Max grinning at me. Someone had a good morning. I nodded my head curtly in acknowledgment. Whenever she wasn't late, we would walk to school together. Nudge soon popped her head out of the house and half-yelled, "Okay, Max! Let's go!"

They both waited for me to catch up to them. Max turned to me to attempt to decipher my mood based on my facial expression. I quickly pasted a smirk on my face and asked, "What are you looking at?"  
"Nothing." She said quickly, with suspicion thinly masked in her voice. We walked to school with all of us bantering and joking around.

The second we arrived, Nudge glanced around until she saw Iggy and squealed, "Iggy!" And ran over to him. She jumped up and he caught her perfectly before spinning her around.

"No PDA!" One of the teachers called and Iggy reluctantly put her down. I glanced at Max and saw her shaking her head at Nudge playfully before mouthing something to Nudge. Nudge responded by sticking her tongue out.

Max and I walked to our lockers and I saw Brigid there waiting for us. Or me. She didn't like Max for some reason. Brigid smiled at Max politely and said, "Hello, Max."

Rolling her eyes, Max answered in a grudging tone, "Hi."

Brigid smiled at me and said, "Hey, Fang! How was your weekend?"

I shrugged before turning to my locker to fish all of my stuff out of it. Brigid waited patiently before asking if I would walk with her to class. I shot Max and almost unnoticeably fast glance before agreeing.

"So, Fang, I never asked you, but are you single?" Brigid looked at me with her big blue eyes.

"No." I said swiftly.

She got this look on her face. With shining eyes she asked me in a flirtatious tone, "And how's that working for you?"

I shrugged. I knew that if I told her the truth, she would probably get upset because I was fine being single. But if I lied, she would probably get her hopes up and end up getting hurt. So either way, we both lose.

"Well, let me know if you want to change that status, okay?" She asked me, twirling a strand of hair around her small finger.

I nodded before she walked off into her class room. Moving in the same direction, I eventually reached my Creative Writing class. Or English. Whatever you want to call it.

Max was already in the classroom sitting next to Sam. They were laughing and talking. I didn't like the way he looked at her. His gaze was full of lust and desire. Didn't he get that she was a good person?"

"Hey, Max," I said quietly.

She turned around and beamed at me before saying, "Hi!"

Sam walked away with a bit of a glare tossed in my direction. Max and I talked until the bell rang and we both fell silent. "Hello, class! Today I am going to be assigning you the first project of the year!"

There were several groans. "Now, don't be like that, this is fun! First I'm going to give you your partners."

She listed everyone's names. I was paired with Max. Good. "Okay, your assignment is: you will have to write a piece of work describing your partner in one hundred words exactly. No more, no less. It is not as easy as it seems. You might need to meet somewhere after school at some point to be able to write your paper well…"

That stupid assignment. Why was it stupid? Because things would slip through the cracks. If Max asked questions, she would learn things she didn't need to know.

**(A/N) Eh, it wasn't that good, but it's up.**


	14. Assignment: Max POV

**(A/N) I felt like updating… so I did!!! :) Be warned: this chapter contains some upsetting stuff, and I bet none of you saw any of it coming… This chapter partially takes place the night before the day they get the assignment.**

**Max POV**

Jeb yelled. He wouldn't stop. He screamed at me for being irresponsible and I guess for just not being the perfect daughter he expected me to be. "Max! You aren't even listening. Pay attention!"

I shoved past him and ran to my room. I frantically thought about what I could do. I needed to escape the pain, I couldn't take it anymore! I was done dealing with Jeb's crap!

There. There it was, sitting there innocently enough. A pocket knife. I grabbed it and locked the door.

The door was shut and I grabbed some paper towels lying nearby. I placed the shaking knife to my wrist. I steadied myself before drawing a single line.

I closed my eyes at the rush of pain and bliss. Up until now, I could never understand why people would cut themselves. But I get it now. A gateway for the emotional pain being channeled by physical pain. Maybe one more wouldn't hurt…

Dabbing at the still bleeding cuts, I pondered whether anyone would be able to find out. No one would. They just… couldn't. If they did…

_*********THE NEXT DAY*********_

Stretching as my alarm clock rang; I wondered why my arm was throbbing. I glanced down and saw the wounds I had inflicted on myself. But the sad thing is, I didn't feel any regret.

When I got ready, I ran downstairs and I saw that mom had written a note on the counter.

_Max and Nudge,_

_Jeb will be on a business trip for a few days, so when you come home to an empty house, don't worry, Jeb is fine._

I grinned. No Jeb for a few days, there's no way this could be any freaking better. I literally _skipped_ out the door and saw Fang outside. "Hey, Fang!" I said with my warm smile still on my face.

He nodded his head at me. I waited patiently for Nudge and when she appeared behind the door of our house and yelled, "Okay, Max! Let's go!"

I ran over to her and we waited for Fang. "Jeb's gone!" I said and we both high-fived each other.

I stared at Fang a bit when he finally reached us. He looked…disappointed and upset? He quickly smirked at me and asked me cockily, "What are you looking at?"  
"Nothing." I responded and I could hear the uncertainty in my voice.

While we walked to school Fang and I teased Nudge. "So, you and Iggy, huh?"

"Yeah!" She said with this goofy look on her face. Fang and I continued to get on her for awhile but I noticed Fang wasn't fully in the conversation. It was like he was on auto-pilot or preprogrammed.

When we got to school, Nudge and Iggy had a mushy meeting. I rolled my eyes at her, and she smiled at me. Of course, one of the teachers ruined the moment and I shook my head 'disapprovingly' at her.

Fang and I walked to our lockers and I saw…. Her. "Hello, Max." She said sweetly. Oh, so mommy taught her manners?

"Hi." I said, and hopefully venom wasn't dripping off my words.

Brigid was looking at him with those blue orbs of hers. ""Hey, Fang! How was your weekend?"

I rolled my eyes when I knew both of them weren't looking. Fang didn't even give her a response with words. That's what the little she-witch gets.

"So, Fang, will you please walk me to class?" She asked him fluttering those impossibly long lashed. They're probably fake.

He looked at me so close I blinked a little bit. He agreed and I just barely heard Brigid ask, "So, Fang are you single?"

I nearly choked on my own spit, which can _totally_ happen. Totally. Who did she think she was? Madonna? Or someone better than Madonna?

When I got to the class, I saw Sam. I sat down next to him with a smile on my face. "Hey, Max!" He said sweetly. He was just so nice.

We talked and laughed until I heard Fang say in a tone I would _almost_ call threatening, "Hey, Max." Same thing Sam said… weird.

"Hi!" I said brightly before we talked until the bell rang.

We got an assignment. I was assigned to work with Fang who seems to know me really well. He would pick up something about me. What would it be?


	15. Avoidances: Fang POV

**(A/N) Okay! I decided to update (obviously). So I hope you enjoy the next installment of ****Flipped: Maximum Ride Style.**** And by the way, this chapter is purposefully short, but important.**

**Fang POV**

I had come to the conclusion that should help me to solve all of my problems. My problems about keeping Max from knowing me. Why couldn't I tell her?

Max already knew me. She would look at me, and I would feel like she could pick up on even the slightest traces of emotion on my face. Why was that?

Staying away from her was harder than it should have been. In the literal sense it was hard because I had most classes with her and, hello, she lived down the street from me. In the emotional sense, it was difficult. Max was my best girl…buddy so I obviously liked to talk to her. Why was it so hard to stay away? Should it be so hard to stay away?

**(A/N) This might have been a tad bit confusing, but I hope it wasn't.**


	16. Avoidances: Max POV

**(A/N) Obviously I uploaded two chapters at the same time. Now, you should look at this very carefully, you might notice something changing.**

**Max POV**

Finally I decided what to do. I would have to stay away from Fang. The more I avoided him, the lower the chances are that he would find stuff out about me. In other words: the fact that I'm cutting. Should I trust him?

Fang knew me so well. He knew me better than _anyone._ But he still didn't trust me. I didn't trust him with my secrets. He'd probably think I was crazy. Am I crazy?

There was _no way_ in earth he would _ever_ find out. He wouldn't. He couldn't. Would he even _care_? Sometimes, it doesn't seem like he does care. And why should he care?

It's so, so hard to be away from him. We see each other all the time and he's my best guy friend, so I definitely don't want to be away from him. He understands me. Which is exactly why I can't be near him. He would find out.

**(A/N) Maybe if you guys review I'll post another chapter today… a full length one, with a bit of drama.**


	17. Shock and Confusion: Fang POV

**(A/N) Update! Woo-hoo!**

**Fang POV**

"Hey, Fang!" Nudge shouted. I spun around quickly and looked for Max. When I saw she wasn't there, I ran down the street to see her. "Max already walked to school. Why aren't you guys talking? I mean, it's so strange not being able to see you guys together. Together as in talking, I mean, you guys aren't _together_ together. But I think you guys would be so cute if you were a couple! Seriously, you should ask her out!"

I shook my head at her before we walked to school. She babbled about random things as I nodded my head slowly. It wasn't the same without Max making sarcastic comments. Man, what's wrong with me?  
When we eventually got to school and Nudge and Iggy had a romance-novel worthy greeting, I walked to my locker where I saw… Max punching Brigid?  
Max had a tiny scratch on her face, whereas Brigid's nose was gushing blood. "Max? What are you doing?" I asked, trying to conceal the shock I felt. Had they seriously hated each other that much?

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm punching the crap out of a no good- " She drew in a sharp breath before letting it out and leaving her statement dangling in the air.

Getting closer to Max, I noticed that Brigid looked as surprised as I felt. "Stop."

Max glared at me. I held her gaze before her facial features softened just the slightest bit. "Alright, I will." She bent down (wow, she's a lot taller than Brigid) and said something quietly. I saw a bit of fear flash across Brigid's face, and Max simpered.

Randomly pulling down her sleeves, Max asked me, "How's it been?"  
"Good." I replied shortly. Good, yeah right.

"I'm glad." She said just as curtly.

An awkward silence spread around us until a teacher bellowed, "Maxine Batchelder!" She flinched. Not because she was afraid, but most likely because she hated being called that. "What have you done to Miss Brigid Dwyer?!"

"I punched her." Max replied simply with not a trace of regret in her voice. In fact, she sounded pleased with herself.

Mr. Morrison glared at her. "Why on earth did you do that?"

Max shrugged. "Well, for one thing, I felt like it because she was getting on my nerves. She called me some… not nice things. Oh, and she pushed me." Then she muttered something under her breath.

"Well, there are other ways to settle disputes than to hit someone." He said sharply.

"You would get along great with my step dad; he tells me the same thing! Maybe you guys could have a tea party or something!" Max said with false enthusiasm ringing in her voice.

Mr. Morrison turned an unhealthy shade of red. "You said I would get along well with him? Good. I'm calling him."

Max rolled her eyes before walking behind him to the principal's office. "Hey, Fang," Brigid said sweetly.

I turned quickly. When had she gotten there? "Hi."

"I'm sorry for insulting her; I just got so… jealous!" She said, before turning an attractive pink color. Much cuter than when Mr. Morrison did it.

"Of what?" I asked her curiously.

She bit her lip, her blush turning the slightest bit darker. "Well. She can talk to you all the time, because she lives so close to you and you're such good friends; and she was bragging about it so I shoved her and said some nasty things. It's just that… I really like you Fang."

Now what do I say to that. "Thanks, Brigid. You're… nice too."

She beamed at me before the bell rang and she walked off happily, leaving me extremely confused.

_*********LATER THAT DAY*********_

The phone rang. I bet it was Mike. Mom's new boyfriend. One of them. Not ever her boyfriend, more like her victims.

At the end of Mom's conversation, she walked into my room. "Hey Fang!" She said with happiness in her voice. Maybe she got hired at a strip club.

"So you'll never guess who that was? It was Max's dad, Jeb. We both thought it would be good if you and Max worked on that English project. So you're going to talk with her about it for a good 5 hours tomorrow! Isn't that great?" She offered me a wicked smile before leaving my room.

**(A/N) This chapter was meant to have holes. Don't worry; a lot will make more sense after you read Max's POV of everything. Which will probably be up tomorrow. Aren't you happy I updated so fast? Leave me a review and tell me :P**


	18. Shock and Confusion: Max POV

**(A/N) Hello there everyone! Um, I just wanted to let you know that it had been about a month since Max and Fang were first friends and a week since they got the assignment, thank you **_**OutsideJokes **_**for asking so I could address that :) And by the way, for those of you who think it's really weird for Max to be cutting, she kinda did in SOF *cough* hint at later on *cough*.**

**Max POV**

Groaning, I rolled over and began searching for my alarm clock with my hands. "Shut up!" I growled at the alarm clock even though it had no mind of its own.

When I finally turned the dang thing off, I climbed out of bed reluctantly and chose some clothes. I wanted so badly to wear a short sleeve T-shirt. It was almost going to be too cold to wear the previously mentioned short sleeve T-shirt. But I knew I couldn't. I sighed before grabbing a blue shirt with long sleeves.

I changed quickly before running down the stairs. I had to go to school early to work on something because we didn't have internet at home. I blame Jeb.

Grabbing a bunch of granola bars, I ran out the door and walked to school. When I got there I headed straight for the computer lab.

After researching the wonders of the man who discovered Wal-Mart, I exited the computer lab and began walking to my locker.

I saw Brigid standing near my locker. I openly rolled my eyes and she sneered at me. "So, Max," Brigid began conversationally. "I haven't seen you hanging out with Fang lately. Why is that?"

"It's none of your business!" I snapped, sounding almost defensive.

She made a show of looking surprised and hurt. "Awww, Maxie, you can tell me _anything_."

I glared at her before saying, "Shut up, Brigid." The threat on my face must have been evident because she flinched back.

Even if she was afraid she still plowed on, "Maybe he finally realized that you're a good for nothing little [insert swear word of your choice here]."

My glare grew even harsher. "At least I don't have to follow him around for his attention. Unlike you. He's my best friend and he actually _enjoys_ talking to me."

"He likes to talk to me too. And even though he's your best friend, that's all he is. A _friend_. A really hot friend, but still just a friend. And did you notice how all the girls he dated are girly? Unlike you. You aren't good enough for him. He will _never_ like you. Just give up. I won." Brigid looked satisfied.

I made my face creepily calm. "He isn't something to be one. He's a person. _You_ don't deserve him. I don't either. So just leave him alone, he'll never like you. He has _standards_. You're smart, so you should know what that means."

"He does! That's why he can't like you!" She sounded panicked.

"You're wrong." I said calmly.

She looked hysterical. "No, I'm not! He won't like you because he's not crazy. The only thing I like about him is that he's hot. He's too quiet and it's annoying. But he's hot and he'll get me social points. He's a freak, _just like you."_

She shoved me against the lockers with a stream of profanities flowing freely from her mouth. She scratched me lightly, but other than that I was unharmed.

My blood was boiling. How dare she say that about Fang? She could insult me, but Fang? Now that's a different story. Without a second thought, I brought my fist back and punched her in the nose. Brigid's nose began gushing blood.

Then a familiar voice reached my ears. "Max? What are you doing?"

I turned around so I could face _him_. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm punching the crap out of a no good- " _Just breathe,_ I told myself.

Using my peripheral vision, I noticed that Brigid's face contained a lot of false shock. My fist was clenching and unclenching. I wanted so badly to hit her again. "Stop."

My anger was nearly overwhelming. I glared at him. His face held power, and he looked, as always, very good. It was so easy to remember why I liked him so much. His eyes were commanding but somehow caring and gentle. Was that caring for me or Brigid?

Fang had won me over. In more ways than one. "Alright, I will."

I bent over to where Brigid was cowering on the floor. "If you ever say anything like that about him again, your nose won't be the only thing bleeding." I whispered quietly in her ear. She flinched, and I smirked.

I faced Fang, and (just to be on the safe side) pulled my sleeves down. "How's it been?" I asked Fang.

"Good." He responded curtly.

"Maxine Batchelder!" A teacher barked at me. I winced. Why must they use my full name? "What have you done to Miss Brigid Dwyer?!"

I answered smugly, "I punched her."

"Why on earth did you do that?" Mr. Morrison asked sharply.

I sighed mentally. I shrugged and said, "Well, for one thing, I felt like it because she was getting on my nerves. She called me some… not nice things. Oh, and she pushed me," Then I added under my breath, "Because she's too cowardly to actually _hit_ me."

Mr. Morrison got this look on his face that plainly read 'those teenage kids' before stating primly, "Well, there are other ways to settle disputes than to hit someone."

I put on a fake smile and made myself dramatically perky. "You would get along great with my step dad; he tells me the same thing! Maybe you guys could have a tea party or something!"

I never knew it was humanly possible for anyone to turn the shade of red that was spreading across Mr. Morrison's cheeks. "You said I would get along well with him? Good. I'm calling him."

Rolling my eyes, I walked behind him to the principal's office. "…no hitting policy! Are we clear?"  
"Yeah, sure, Ronald." I said rudely.

"It's Mr. Chapman." He picked up the phone before dialing.

I paid no attention to what he was saying until the words 'English assignment' grabbed my attention. "Yes, she's supposed to sum up her partner in 100 words. I believe she is working with Nick. She should discuss that with him too, by the way."

Horror began creeping over me. No. This could not be happening. _Just breathe,_ I told myself for the second time today, though for a totally different reason.

_*********LATER THAT DAY*********_

"Why didn't you tell me about this project, Max?" Jeb asked me looking 'concerned'. Yeah, really concerned about looking like the perfect father.

I looked at him and said, "He's my best friend. I don't need to make arrangements to get to know him any better."

He stared back at me. "If he's your best friend then you wouldn't mind spending some more quality time with him, now would you?"

I nearly screamed in frustration as I saw him dial into the phone. "Yes, I was calling regarding an English assignment…"

When Jeb hung up the phone, he looked at me and said, "You're a smart girl, Max. I want you to do well. But if you keep acting so foolish and ignorant, you aren't going anywhere. And if you end up going nowhere, I won't be there to bail you out."

"You're never there for me!" I screamed at him.

He looked at me weird. "I'm a good father. You're a stupid child, Maxine. I hope you grow out of your foolishness soon."

Running upstairs to my room I blinked away tears. There was something I needed to do. A getaway. I closed the door and locked it. I found it. The knife.

I drew a long, straight line and as the cut melted away my emotional pain, I closed my eyes as I felt the familiar bliss and almost high I got. Finally, I grew dizzy from blood loss. I stopped the blood.

And I cried. I cried for myself, and I cried for what I was doing to myself. I needed to stop this. But I couldn't. I couldn't let go. So instead I cried.

**(A/N) Erm. So on that pleasant note… please review?**


	19. Don't Get Excited

**_Updated June 14th 2011._ It's years later, and I'm STILL getting comments about Max cutting herself. So now that I've grown up a little more, I'm going to explain myself a little bit better since apparently I didn't do a good enough job the first time.**

**Note: My words are going to sound harsh, maybe even hateful. But I'm not hating on anyone, I'm just trying to get my point across. This is a rebuke, not screaming. I know it may seem that way over cold, insensitive typing, but my goal is not to hurt anyone. My goal is the opposite. ****I'm not trying to be unkind. Really, I'm not a mean person. But seeing as this is, evidently, STILL an issue, I haven't done enough to correct it. So that's what I'm attempting to do in a firmer, more persuasive way.**  


**First, I'd like to say that I do not cut myself. However, when you insult cutters, you are insulting my friends and many other people. And I really don't like it when people insult my friends, so, to be quite frank, if you don't like it, please stop making innaproprately offensive comments about those I love. If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all.**

**You can flame my writing all you want. Seriously, go right ahead. But when you make things personal, I _will_ take it personally.**

**I KNOW that cutting isn't good. I KNOW that there are better ways to let out pain. I KNOW THAT. Really, I do. My goal in life is to one day become a guidance counselor and help people through things like this, so please DON'T preach at me. I really don't need to hear it. At all. Honestly, I doubt your judgment would really help people that do cut. I do everything I can to help my friends who are coping with cutting, and fortunately, none of them are anymore but that could change at any moment. I know that if my friends were still cutting, I wouldn't want them seeing all those comments that are insulting their intelligence and morals because my friends are not bad or stupid people. Seeing those words could make the situation even worse, and regardless of whether or not my friends will read those comments or not, someone who is cutting might, and they might get the wrong idea.  
**

**So that's my logic from a moral/personal standpoint on why I really don't feel like reading more reviews (again, even YEARS later) about Max's cutting. I'll get to my points from a writer's perspective.**

******Max's cutting is very realistic and logical, or at least, that's what I've been told. It's something that really happens, and I know you may not agree with it, but you either need to bite the bullet and keep reading to see what happens or give up. Because as it is, I've already written this story and I'm not going to rewrite the entire thing because some people still aren't agreeing with something I've put in it.**  


**Also, look at the moral tone! Does it LOOK like I'm supporting Max cutting? Does it look like, as a an author, I'm saying, "Look at Max! She hates life so she's cutting herself which is totally awesome and everyone should do it!" No. I did not say that, I did not imply it, in fact, I implied the opposite. Just because I included cutting in my story does not mean I condone it.  
**

**Max's cutting is a plot device. It's something used to create tension and to move the story forward. Just like any show on television has drama, literature should be the same way. So I've included it.**

**I don't find it hard to believe that Max would cut from a purely literaray standpoint. Max is known for making rash decisions without thinking of repurcussions, and that's exactly why she started cutting in this fic. So really, it's not that far of a reach at all.**

**I think I'm done. And I'd just like to say one more time that my goal is not to be mean or to shove my opinions at you. I'm just trying to explain myself since most of the poeple judging are anonyymous reviewers and I can't inidividually reply. This is something that I feel needed to be said, so I said it.**

**Bottom line? You don't like cutting, don't read it. Go find a different story and keep your comments to yourself, please. I don't want anyone getting offended, and I don't want my story to be the cause of it.**

**And to those of you who do support me, thank you. Thank you to those of you who followed me from this story all across fandoms. I love you guys more than anything and your reviews inspire me every single day, STILL to this day.  
**


	20. Pain: Fang POV

**(A/N) Okay. Sorry about that last "chapter". I can honestly say, I was shocked that so many people left me comforting reviews, so thank you guys a lot, you're amazing and I love you (in a non-creepy way) for reading this. This chapter is mostly filler except for the end. Sorry, but I gave you guys a cliffy. Just warning you.**

**Fang POV**

I groaned. It was Saturday. The day I was scheduled to go over to Max's house and 'discuss' things. I was not excited.

Stepping into the shower, I pondered over whether or not any secrets would get out. I didn't really have that many secrets, but if Max knew what my mom did to me _emotionally_… I didn't know what would happen.

When the hot water had washed away a bit of my worry, I stepped out and got dressed in some (all black) clothes. To know that I was going to spend time with Max… well that definitely wasn't a bad thing. The only bad thing about this was the circumstances under which we were meeting.

"Nick! Hurry up! I want you out of the house; I invited Claire over and we definitely don't want you around." My mom said, appearing at my door. Isn't she just special?

I rolled my eyes at her and asked, "Isn't Joey coming over?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Please. We broke up, like, ages ago. Not that you'd care. At least I have a love life."

I bit my tongue so I wouldn't say anything that would make her cry. But then again, my mom is so obsessed with herself she probably wouldn't listen to anything I attempted to tell her anyway. "I'll go after I eat." Max wouldn't mind if I showed up early, would she?

As soon as I crammed some food in my mouth, I began to head over to Max's house. Until I heard it. "I HATE you Jeb! I absolutely HATE you!"

The anger in Max's voice made me tremble. I saw Max's mom pulling away in a fast car. "Mom?" Max asked in a broken voice.

Immediately, spasms racked my body and my fists clenched. Who would do something like that to her? She was Max the Invincible, Max the Unbreakable. And she was broken. She wasn't invincible.

I saw Jeb rush out of the house after Dr. M. "Valencia, wait! I didn't mean it!" She kept driving. I wondered if she would ever come back.

"Good, Fang, you can work with Max." Jeb said. Is that all he would say? That I could get the project finished? Does he have _no_ feelings?

I looked at him and asked, "What have you _done?_"

He looked much older. His hair seemed thinner, his face more wrinkled. "I don't know…" Jeb whispered.

I walked into Max's house. I knew where her room was.

I knocked on the door, but I guess she didn't hear me. I opened the door. And what I saw broke my heart in two.

Max. Holding a knife to her wrist. So much blood all around her. Was she was going to kill herself?

**(A/N) Okay. I know you probably hate me now…review anyway?**


	21. Pain: Max POV

**(A/N) Alrighty! I got lots of positive feedback, and I was extremely surprised! Over 300 reviews. 300!!!!!!!!!!! There are hints to important stuff later on.**

**This chapter is dedicated to **_**babiixilyx3**_** it's her birthday! PM her or something!**

**Max POV**

I woke up and groaned. Yes, I actually did that, it's not something that only actually happens in movies. Why was I groaning, you ask? I had to work with Fang. Oh yes, it was the dreaded 'project day.'

Running downstairs, I saw my parents talking. "…Valencia, it's critical to science! Please! Let me use her!"

"No, Jeb!" Mom said back firmly.

Jeb looked at her with exasperation. "Do you know how much _money_ we'd get? Not to mention how much we could help humankind!"

Mom rolled her eyes. "I don't care."

Then he said it. "I never loved you. I have another son. The only reason I married you was so…" he lowered his voice and I couldn't hear.

Mom looked shocked. "I'm going." She stated quietly with tears forming in her eyes. Thank God Ella's at some soccer camp. She walked out the door and slammed it shut.

I looked at Jeb. The tears were forming. Tears of pure rage. "I HATE you, Jeb! I absolutely HATE you!"

I ran out the door. "Mom?" I asked, feeling so hurt. Hurt can't even describe the way I felt. Words cannot be uttered to help you understand what I was feeling. Would Mom ever come back?

Jeb ran out of the house. "Valencia, wait! I didn't mean it!" I hate him so much. I wish he would just go and _die_.

I ran inside. I couldn't even think. I knew what I needed. I needed my knife. Not just a knife, it was _the_ knife.

As soon as I got to my room, I drew a line. It was thin, and the feeling was only slightly relieving. I pressed a lot harder and the feeling was better. But it wasn't enough. I couldn't stop. I needed to stop. But I couldn't. Was I going to kill myself?

**(A/N) Maybe if you're lucky, I'll put another chapter up. Depends.**


	22. Discussion: Fang POV

**(A/N) I hope you guys like this and that I did this VERY important chapter justice. And by the way, does any of this seem a bit familiar ;P And there is a bit of mild language in this chapter, sorry.**

**Fang POV**

When I finally found my voice demanded, "What the hell are you doing?" I smacked her arm and with a shocked look she dropped the knife and it fell to the floor. "Are you _crazy_?"

She turned and glared at me. She muttered, "It helps me," in a tone that made me want to reach out and wrap my arms around her. But that wouldn't work. So of course, I got madder.

Nudge suddenly burst in the door. "Fang? I just got home and I heard screaming and-" Nudge's voice cut off abruptly. Her eyes widened in horror. "Max? What were you doing?"

"It helps me with…stuff." She said in that same confused and hurt voice.

I glared at her. "Well forget it! You don't get off that easy!" I searched the room for gauze and antiseptic. She must have some here. When I found it, I dumped half the bottle onto her self-inflicted wound and she winced.

The fear and anger coursing through me was unimaginable. But the main emotion I felt was sadness. An unbearable sadness. Why couldn't she come to me?

She looked at me, her eyes wide and confused. "I'm sorry." Her chin quivered and in an instant, tears began to run down her cheeks and sobs racked her body.

Nudge got up quietly muttering to herself something like, "This can't be real. Max is so strong. It isn't real." Then she turned to me and said deliberately, "I'm going to Iggy's."

The second she was out the door, I hugged Max to my body tightly, ignoring the fact that her bloodstained clothes would soil mine too. I cradled her and murmured into her ear over and over, "Shh. It's okay, Max."

When she was finally done, her cheeks were flushed and she was looking down. She was, of all things, embarrassed. Embarrassed! "Sorry." She muttered.

For awhile we just sat in silence until I finally felt the need to ask her something. "So what was that about?"

She seemed to take a deep breath. "Stuff kept getting to me. I've been doing it for awhile." She confessed.

"How long?" I asked, my voice unintentionally sharp.

"I don't know."  
More silence. "Why?" I finally asked in a quiet tone.

She looked at me and took another deep breath. "Jeb. He's terrible. My mom's gone now. I don't know if she's coming back. I don't even know what's going on in my own life anymore."

"Why didn't you come to me?" I questioned.

She looked at me with a wry smile on her face. "Like you ever talk to me about _anything._ Like you'd even care."

For just a split second, surprise spread across my face. "I care."

"You never told me about your mom." She said, cutting right down to the matter.

I debated whether or not to tell her. But then again, I had just seen her about to kill herself. Well, she probably wasn't intending to kill herself, but still. "My mom is…not good. She sleeps with so many guys, it's pathetic." I gave a humorless laugh. "I walked in on her and one of them a couple of times."

She looked purely disgusted. "She used to hit me. She gets drunk a lot. I'm pretty sure she's had so many abortions she can't get pregnant anymore. She's an idiot and I hate her. That's about it."

I felt vulnerable. No one ever knew about this before. And now she knew. But she shouldn't know. "Sorry. About before." Max said softly.

I glanced at her once. "You almost gave me a heart attack. When I saw you and all that blood…" I punched a pillow. Feathers leaked out.

"Sorry."

"Don't do it again."

She swallowed hard. "I won't."

I looked at her for a second. She had blonde streaked hair that was slightly wavy and fell past her shoulders. Her chocolate brown eyes were staring into mine. She was tan with a few freckles on her face. Had I really never noticed how stunningly beautiful she was?

She cast her eyes downward. I noticed how her long eyelashes almost brushed her face. What was wrong with me?

I tilted her chin up and was about to kiss her. When Nudge burst in the door. "OMG. I'm so sorry!" She screamed before running out of the room.

Max looked shocked. She looked at the door. Then back at me. Then back at the door before her mouth formed a tiny 'o'.

"NICK! LET'S GO!" My mom screamed from down the stairs. I sighed mentally. What had I gotten myself into?

**(A/N) Erm, yeah. If you hate me now, you're gonna REALLY hate me soon.**


	23. Discussion: Max POV

**(A/N) Thank you so much to everyone that reviewed :)**

**Max POV**

"What the hell are you doing?" Fang demanded in a shaking voice. Fang? When did he get here? Why was he here? He smacked my arm, and I dropped the knife, never feeling more surprised about anything in my life. "Are you _crazy_?"

Now, if there's one thing I hate, it's when people call me crazy. And even though I was emotionally unstable (ugh, I can't believe I just said that) at the moment, I glared at him before barely managing to say, "It helps me."

I heard the patter of running footsteps. "Fang? I just got home and I heard screaming and-" Nudge said, cutting off as she stared at me, her face paling with shock. "Max? What were you doing?"

What was going on? Did God decide to pick on me today? "It helps me with…stuff?" It came out sounding more like a question to me. But judging by Fang's white face, he was too angry to notice.

"Well forget it! You don't get off that easy!" He snapped out at me angrily. I flinched as he poured antiseptic on my huge cut. Ouch.

I looked at him again. His mouth was a grim line, and he looked something like sad. He was definitely sad. Under all that I saw a fear. Why had I done this to him? "I'm sorry." I said, trembling a bit.

Abruptly, tears sprung to my eyes. Oh no. Not now, not with him here. The tears streamed down my cheeks and my body quaked with the spasms coursing through me.

Nudge stood up saying something, but I was tooo far gone to hear what she said. The next thing I knew, I was being pulled against someone's muscled chest. I sobbed into the black shirt.

Fang. Of course it would be Fang, I should have known. I leaned into him and just continued to cry. I cried for myself and I cried for him and what I had done. I cried for the way I compromised myself. I just cried.

When the tears had finally stopped, I pulled away from Fang and refused to look him in his dark-chocolate colored eyes. Why had this happened to me? Why did I have to lose it in front of my best friend and guy that I possibly love? "Sorry." I muttered, still not looking at him.

We sat there. I didn't look at him, but I could feel him boring holes into the back of my head. I knew it was only a matter of time before he said anything. Sure enough, he asked me, "So what was that about?"

I drew in a long stream of air. _Breathe, Max._ I told myself. "Stuff kept getting to me. I've been doing it for awhile."

"How long?" Fang's voice sounded as though he had to restrain himself from yelling at me.

Commanding myself internally not to flinch, I said, "I don't know."

An awkward silence spread over us. "Why?" He asked me, sounding totally lost.

"Jeb. He's terrible. My mom's gone now. I don't know if she's coming back. I don't even know what's going on in my own life anymore." The bitterness in my voice was evident. I had a good reason to be bitter.

"Why didn't you come to me?"

I looked at him with something a bit like a smirk gone bad. I felt almost condescending. "Like you ever talk to me about _anything._ Like you'd even care."

Surprise was clear on his handsome facial features. "I care." He said, sounding almost offended.

"You never told me about your mom." Okay, I could have been a bit more tactful, but really, what's the point? I deserve to know.

He sat there, staring at me. Finally, the story came out. "My mom is…not good. She sleeps with so many guys, it's pathetic." He laughed with a bitterness I thought only I could pull off. "I walked in on her and one of them a couple of times." That sickens me. Why do some people even _think_ about acting that way? "She used to hit me. She gets drunk a lot. I'm pretty sure she's had so many abortions she can't get pregnant anymore. She's an idiot and I hate her. That's about it." My head was reeling. At least Jeb never hit me. He wouldn't do that. I don't think he would. But now I'm not so sure.

"Sorry. About before." I said after a small gap of time.

"You almost gave me a heart attack. When I saw you and all that blood…" He punched my pillow. I'm definitely going to need a new one now.

"Sorry."

"Don't do it again." His voice managed to sound firm and gentle at the same time.

I gulped. I knew what I was getting myself into depending on what I would say. "I won't."

He stared at me and I looked down. He tilted my head up and leaned so close to me that our noses brushed. Was he going to kiss me? My heart pounded. Probably not good because of all the blood loss, but whatever.

"OMG I'm so sorry!" Nudge squealed before running downstairs.

Was that seriously about to happen? I looked at Fang, then the door, then back at Fang. Then his mom screamed for him.

He left me with one long stare, almost like he was studying me. What had we gotten ourselves into?

**(A/N) I hope you guys liked this!**


	24. Heartbroken: Fang POV

**(A/N) This is the chapter where I think you guys will hate me…**

**Fang POV**

I got dressed knowing that the sooner I got outside, the sooner I would get to see Max. And I really wanted to see Max. So badly.

Max and I had been talking more than ever. Well, it was more like me checking to make sure she didn't cut herself. But we did talk a lot. We were a lot more open, which is definitely a first for me. But I feel so different around her. And it scares me.

Max's mom came back. I don't know why she came back, or why she left, Max refused to tell me. But she said that Jeb wouldn't be able to bother her as much anymore. But when I saw Max's face as her mom returned... it was amazing. I felt honest to goodness joy that Max was so happy. I hope I never hurt her the way her mom and Jeb have.

She was so… confusing. But I was pretty sure she thought I was more confusing. I wanted to see her, but I wanted to avoid her. Yeah, I think I might be a love bi-polar.

Max and I were walking to school. There were no more awkward silences between us. But maybe if we mentioned 'the almost kiss' those weird silences might come back, which is something I definitely don't want.

Her chocolate brown eyes were focused on the building ahead of us. Then that Sam guy walked up to us. Where did he come from anyway? "Max! I'm so psyched for our date, I'm really glad you love me as much as I always hoped you would! See you in school." He walked away, with Max staring after him.

I stared at her. And stared at her. And (guess what) stared at her. "Let me explain." She told me with pleading brown eyes. "It was Jeb."

Softly, I said, "If you don't like me, you can just tell me."

Her eyes widened. "That's not it! No, you have it all wrong, but I mean, I know how lame that sounds, but it was Jeb! He set it up! I mean, it isn't my fault. I don't want to go out with Sam. But I have to. He doesn't like you, but I can't really see why, and it isn't like Sam and I will get engaged…" How could I believe her?

I walked away from her with freaking _tears_ stinging my eyes. The only girl I ever actually liked and I thought liked me, and she goes on a date with someone else. Why would this happen to me? Was my life not hard enough as it is?

The tears held in as my sadness was replaced by rage. Why would _she_ do this to me? I thought she actually cared. But she doesn't.

I ran up to the nearest tree and punched it. _Hard_. I really should stop doing that. My knuckles began bleeding, and I winced at the pain.

I got to the school and walked in. Brigid was at my locked waiting for me, like always. But instead of getting irritated at her like I used to, I grinned at her and said, "Hey."

She flashed me a brilliant smile of her own. Not as pretty as Max. Not even close. But I shouldn't think that about her anymore. My smile faltered.

Brigid was rambling on about something when I felt warm lips against my own. Brigid was kissing me? I thought about pushing her away, when memories of Max flooded my mind. Her smiling, that look after I tried to kiss her, her face when she saw Sam…

And suddenly I was kissing Brigid for all I was worth. The anger and sadness I felt about Max translated into a deep burning passion that exited my mouth and into Brigid's. I made myself think I loved her. But I didn't.

Why was I doing this?

But I know why. Because I was shattered on the inside. Crushed. Beaten. Bruised. I was simply heartbroken.

**(A/N) Now how's THAT for FAX killing? And guys... over 400 reviews?!?!?!?!?!? YOU ARE AMAZING AND I SERIOUSLY LOVE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU! (no creepy stalkerishness though)  
**


	25. Heartbroken: Max POV

**(A/N) Guys. I have very very very very very exciting news. (For me, probably not for you haha). This story was nominated for the best Maximum Ride fanfic under the story… wait for it… "The Best Maximum Ride Fanfic"… do you know how much that means to me? **_**StalkerOfFang**_** I want to personally thank you for nominating me. Thank you so so so much. This chapter is dedicated to you!**

**Max POV**

"Max!" I groaned at the sound of daddy dearest's voice. I ran downstairs to meet his High High Highness's demand.

I put my hands on my hip and demanded with a fierce attitude, "What?"

Jeb looked at me with that look. The one 'don't use that attitude with me, young lady.' I rolled my eyes. "Are you just gonna stare at me?"  
"It's going to. Not gonna. Saying gonna makes you sou-"

"Shut up!" I screamed at him.

Mom had come back and it was such a huge relief to me that I almost cried when she came back. Almost. Not quite. She arrived about a week or so ago, about two weeks after the almost kiss.

Why Mom left made me so excited and so happy. Why had she left? Well, that's something I know and you obviously don't.

Anyway, back to Jeb being the jerk that he is. "Don't you ever say that to me aga-"

I glared at him and spoke to him as though he were five years old, "Shut… UP!"

He glared back at me, dropping his 'perfect father' façade. "You have a date."

I snorted. "Funny, I don't remember anyone asking me out."

Jeb seemed to think this, in all actuality, _was_ funny. He laughed. "I arranged a date for you. You're going for pizza with Sam tonight."

"Tonight?!" I exclaimed, forgetting the need to play the stereotypical rebellious child.

He grinned like the villain in all those movies. You know, after their evil plan has been started. Oh wait… he was a villain that was plotting against me! Silly me, how could I have forgotten? "Of course. Goodbye, Max."

I walked out the door, fuming. But when I saw Fang, the tiniest portion of that anger evaporated. Walking with him, we joked around for awhile until he showed up. Stupid Sam.

He smiled at me. "Max! I'm so psyched for our date, I'm really glad you love me as much as I always hoped you would! See you in school." I stared after him as he walked away. What the…?

Fang was staring at me with this look in his eyes. I can't even describe that look. "Let me explain." I begged. "It was Jeb."

"If you don't like me, you can just tell me," He said, sounding hurt.

I could feel my eyes stretch to become the size of watermelons. Feeling desperate, I began to babble which probably made me look guiltier. "That's not it! No, you have it all wrong, but I mean, I know how lame that sounds, but it was Jeb! He set it up! I mean, it isn't my fault. I don't want to go out with Sam. But I have to. He doesn't like you, but I can't really see why, and it isn't like Sam and I will get engaged…"

He walked away without a word. Without a sound. How does he even do that? One of Fang's many talents. I watched him punch a tree before I averted my eyes.

Soon enough, the anger came. He didn't believe me? Why didn't he believe me? I thought we were best friends… I thought we might've even had something more. He thought I was lying.

Fang meant so much to me. I cared about him in a way I had vowed never to care about anyone for this exact reason. There was no way I would lose him over something like this. Over _Sam_ of all people.

I sprinted to the school and made it there without even breaking a sweat. That's why I love adrenaline.

Continuing to run as fast as my legs and lungs would let me, I made it to the hallway my locker was placed in record time. But what I saw froze me in my tracks.

Fang and Brigid kissing. Fang. And Brigid. _Kissing_. What was going on. The way he regarded her with such a fire, it made me wonder why he ever tried to kiss me.

The conclusion was obvious. I never had a chance with someone like him. He wasn't in my league. Brigid on the other hand…

I knew that it was a long shot that he would ever like me. Maybe he used me. Maybe he just got caught up in the moment. Maybe _that's_ why we never talked about it.

So I stood there, wondering why there were teardrops lying scattered around my feet.

But again, the conclusion was obvious. I was simply heartbroken.

**(A/N) Now, how many of you feel really bad for poor Max?**


	26. The Worst Part: Fang POV

**(A/N) I got a lot of feedback for the last two chapters… the most depressing one! That's amazing! Thank you guys so much!**

**Fang POV**

I pulled away from Brigid and looked at her and saw a huge smile plastered on her face. My lips turned down. Why had I done that? I wish I could take back the stupid kiss. I don't even like Brigid; she was the most despicable person I had ever met.

"What…what was _that_?" I spun around so quickly, I swore I got a slight case of whiplash.

"Max?" I demanded disbelievingly.

She rolled her eyes, which I noticed were red and puffy. "No, it's the Easter bunny. No, make that Santa Clause. Ho ho ho." The angry words spilled out of her mouth so fast, Brigid looked totally confused.

Staring her down, I inquired, "What was what?" Although I knew exactly what she meant.

Max looked at me right in the yes. "You know what."

"It was a kiss. Something you'll never experience." Brigid sneered at Max before walking away.

Max glared after her and literally lunged toward her before I restrained her in my arms. "Down, Kitty."

"Don't tell me what to do!" She screamed at me.

I blinked a bit. She looked a bit hysterical. I knew that at any second she could snap and totally lose control. "Stop looking at me like that. I'm fine. Why did you do that?"  
"Because I felt like it!" I snapped back her, allowing my instincts to defend myself take control.

She glared at me. "So articulate…" She trailed off in sarcastic wonder.

I stared at her. "I never meant to hurt you." I blurted out without thinking.

She cast her eyes upwards, something I noticed she always did when she didn't want to cry. "You didn't."  
"I did, didn't I?" I more asked myself than her.

"Why does it even matter?" She barked out.

I rolled my eyes. "You know I care."

"Do I?" Bitterness laced her words. "Why should I know that? I was just another girl. That's all I'll ever be."

Surprise washed through me. "No. You aren't."

Sarcasm made her voice sound edgy. "How am I supposed to know that? You date a different girl every month, although I thought that had changed. When I first met you, you were such a jerk, but I thought you would change. Just when I thought you had, you do something like this. Just goes to show you that people like _you_ don't change." By the end, she wasn't facing me and I assumed she was crying. After a few seconds she had composed herself and she faced me.

"And you know what? I am through with you. I am so sick of your lies. You couldn't even trust me. You think I'm a liar. If there's one thing I don't do, I don't lie to my friends. You use people. You used me. And that's the worst mistake you will ever make." She paused for a second. "I thought you cared… I had so many dreams about you and me. But you abused that trust because you are a coward, you run from your feeling. And now, I'm gonna do the same thing because I'm never going to trust anyone that way again. I can't trust anyone. Whenever I trust them, I get hurt. So I'm done!" Max yelled at me her voice trembling with both anger and an unbearable sadness.

"Max…" I tried to soothe her, to reassure her that it wasn't me. To blame someone else. But I knew she was right. She was completely right. I do run from my feelings. It was my fault she was like this. I swore I would never hurt her, and now she was like this.

"Don't! Don't even! Just shut up and STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!"

The worst part wasn't what she said. It wasn't that she didn't trust me. I'm not quite that selfish.

No, the worst part was that I did this to her. I made her cry. I made her hurt. She trusted me and I blew it. I would never get that trust back.

**(A/N) Erm, yeah. I hope you liked Max's speech…**


	27. The Worst Part: Max POV

**(A/N) Go vote on my poll! It is relevant to the story! Votes will be accepted until Monday. I can't type the next chapter until I get some votes on my poll so PLEASE go vote! And thanks to everyone who loved Max's speech!**

**Max POV**

I'm pretty sure I was in shock as I watched him pull away from Brigid. _WAKE UP! _I screamed in my head, begging with myself that it was a dream. But as I saw Brigid's smile and Fang's nearly unnoticeable frown, I knew that this was, in fact, happening.

Why was this happening to me? What had I done to deserve this, what had I done to feel this horrible pain?

My heart was literally aching. I had never believed what I saw in all those cheesy movies, about girls' hearts breaking. But now that my own heart was ripped in two; I knew exactly how it feels.

"What…what was _that_?" I asked hoarsely and disgustedly.

He spun around quickly and stared at me, looking as though he couldn't possibly believe that I had caught him with Brigid. "Max?"

The girl in me wanted to flat out bawl and demand to know what was so great about _her_, but the Max in me made me do something quite different. "No, it's the Easter bunny. No, make that Santa Clause. Ho ho ho." I rolled my eyes and spoke the words quickly so I wouldn't totally break down.

"What was what?" He asked me, although in his eyes I saw terror. He didn't want me to know what was going on. _Was_ there something going on?

Of course there was something going on. Why else would he randomly be kissing some girl? I stared at him and flatly replied, "You know what."

Brigid looked at me with hatred in her eyes. "It was a kiss. Something you'll never experience." She rolled her blue eyes. Then I stared closer and noticed that half of one iris was brown. Colored contacts? Well, I suppose everything about this girl is fake…

As she walked away I lunged at her. I was pretty close to kicking her (fake) blonde head when I felt arms wrap around my waist and restrain me. "Down, Kitty."

"Don't tell me what to do!" I screamed, and even I heard the hysteria in my voice. He turned and looked at me like I was some science experiment. Then his expression turned to one of unbearable kindness. Well, it was way too late for his pity. "Stop looking at me like that. I'm fine. Why did you do that?" I refused to allow myself to lose sight of my goal: to find out what the heck was wrong with him.

"Because I felt like it!" He snapped.

I knew it. He never liked me. Why even bother lying about something like that? "So articulate!" I covered my pain with harsh sarcasm. I was a pro at covering my pain. I learned from the best.

He stared at me with those eyes. Those eyes that cut right to my soul. "I never meant to hurt you." He said.

"You didn't." I said, lifting my eyes up to try and stop the tears.

His eyes got a faraway look in them. He muttered to himself, "I did, didn't I?"

"Why does it even matter?" My voice came out sounding rough from both pain and suppressed tears.

He rolled his eyes. Great, now I was some immature child… "You know I care."

"Do I? Why should I know that? I was just another girl. That's all I'll ever be." Every single word I uttered, I meant with all my heart.

He seemed to be surprised. Score one for Max. But really, what's the point in playing a game you want to withdraw from? "No. You aren't."

Time to start my long rant. "How am I supposed to know that? You date a different girl every month, although I thought that had changed. When I first met you, you were such a jerk, but I thought you would change." I turned away from him. I refused to let him see the tears he caused. "Just when I thought you had, you do something like this. Just goes to show you that people like _you_ don't change."

I turned and faced him with more boldness and my ego deflated. Talk about contrasting emotions. "And you know what? I am through with you. I am so sick of your lies. You couldn't even trust me. You think I'm a liar. If there's one thing I don't do, I don't lie to my friends. You use people. You used me. And that's the worst mistake you will ever make."

I stopped, wondering what to say. I wasn't done yet, but I wasn't sure how I was supposed to word my other thoughts. "I thought you cared… I had so many dreams about you and me. But you abused that trust because you are a coward, you run from your feeling. And now, I'm gonna do the same thing because I'm never going to trust anyone that way again. I can't trust anyone. Whenever I trust them, I get hurt. So I'm done!" I was shouting at him, and I longed to run up to him and beat my fists on him although I knew it wouldn't hurt him. I longed to act like a child.

"Max…"

For some reason, the way he said it was terrible to me. "Don't! Don't even! Just shut up and STAY OUT OF MY LIFE!"

I bolted away with tears stinging my eyes.

The worst part about this wasn't the pain. It wasn't that my perfect heart had just been shattered. It wasn't even that I would probably never talk to Fang again.

The worst part was that the one person I trusted most had hurt me in ways nearly incomprehensible.

**(A/N) GO VOTE! DO IT NOW!!!!!!!!!! Please! :) **


	28. Irony: Fang POV

**(A/N) Okay, the majority of the votes were to show Max and Sam's date. I'm sorry to the rest of you who wanted it the other way and honestly, I did too, but I thought it would be fair to do this democratically. But this chapter is very important. And I hope you all stop hating Fang after this chapter :P A bit of foreshadowing somewhere in this chapter.**

**Fang POV**

It had been about three days since the 'incident' with Max and Brigid. Man, I sound like I'm on some cheesy soap opera… But anyway, Max refused to even look at me. I didn't sit with her and Nudge and Iggy anymore, I sat with Brigid and Theresa and Maybelline. Yeah, her name was seriously Maybelline like the make-up crap.

I didn't walk to school with anyone anymore. Even though I had 'friends', I felt alone. No one else shared the bond that Max and I once had, the bond that took years of building up and trust to establish. The bond that I destroyed by one simple mistake.

What was I missing? I was missing something, something in my life that would make me happy. Oh yeah. Maybe some real people I can trust.

Iggy and I never talk anymore. After he found out what I did to Max, what I _unintentionally_ did to Max, all he said was, "Who are you?" That hurt. To think that my first friend didn't even know me anymore, that hurt.

Nudge thought that I was practically the devil's incarnate. Wait, Nudge thought Jeb was the devil's incarnate. I was right after Jeb.

Jeb was very happy that I no longer talked to Max. Now, whenever I see him, he always offers to me a polite "hello" or "how are you". His precious daughter that he assumedly 'loves more than anything in the world' hates me now, and he was glad. He was glad that I hurt Max; everything to him was just a science experiment.

I stood up and wondered why this was happening to her. Not me, why this was happening to Max. Why did I hurt her so much, she already has to deal with so much pain in the first place, so why would I betray her the way I had?

I changed quickly before walking to school without a word to my mother. Oh yeah, my mom sure got a kick out of the fact that I had no friends.

When I was about half-way down the street, I saw Max. I stared at her for a second, but she refused to turn her pretty head to face me. She was standing there, talking to a little girl and boy, both with blonde hair and blue eyes. That's weird.

The little girl picked up her head in my direction. She smiled at me before running over to me and saying, "Hi, Fang!"

I blinked. How did she know my name? "Max told me about you."

I blinked again. Was my surprise that evident on my face? She giggled a sweet little girl laugh. "I've always been good at reading people. My name is Angel! And this is my brother Gazzy!"

"Hi," I said shortly.

I turned to face Max and asked her, "How do you know them?"

She turned to me with a fierce expression on her face. "Oh, now you care about what's going on in my life? Not to busy being obsessed with your little girlfriend? Well, if you must know, I'm going to baby sit them tomorrow night." She paused before smirking at me cruelly. "I couldn't tonight, because it's my _date_."

I flinched back as if I had been slapped before saying coolly. "I hope you have lots of fun with Sam," _Even though I hate him._

"Oh, I will! Thanks _so much_!" She said with a mockingly innocent expression on her face.

"I miss you."

She stared at me. The expression on her face was priceless. Her facial expression was one of shock and hurt. Maybe longing, but that could just be my wishful thinking. "She misses you too." Angel said before smiling sweetly and stating, "You should get to school now. Bye bye!"  
I walked away, knowing that I had already done enough damage for one day. When I arrived at school, I was greeted by Maybelline. But I had no patience for dealing with her. "What?" I snapped out at her.

"Nothing. I was just going to tell you that Brigid-"

"I don't really care about Brigid right now!" I half-yelled and I got a few weird stares from people that were gathered in the general area.

Maybelline glared at me. "Fine then! Forget you!" She stalked away with an angry expression on her face, muttering under her breath about how much Brigid was going to love hearing about how her boyfriend hated her. I did hate Brigid.

I spent the rest of my day wondering what was going to happen on Max's date. Did she even like the guy?

Lunch was the worst part of my school day. When I got to the cafeteria, Brigid stormed up to me and made a big show of breaking up with me. She started to bring out the crocodile tears. "I thought we really had something."

"Shut up. I never even liked you, and you never even liked me so just shut up." I said calmly. I knew all this because back when I was still talking to Max she had tried to tell me this so many times. But I never listened to her, and now I regret it with all my heart.

She started really crying buckets now. "B-but, yes I d-did, I really like you, but if you don't feel the same way…"

I sat down at a table with all the loners. I fit in perfectly.

When the school day was over I walked home. When I got home, Mom was already out, probably partying with some other freaks just like her.

Later I decided to go for some ice cream. I really just needed to do something relatively normal so I could feel like some kid who has a perfect life like in one of those stupid sitcoms.

When I got there though, my stomach simply began churning. She was here. With _him._ What was she doing here, laughing with him? He said something to her, and she laughed with a blush on her face.

My fists began clenching and unclenching. The unbearable rage followed by the crushing hurt that flooded through me was astonishing. I was so selfish, I wanted to be the only one to make her laugh that way and to make her blush that sweet shade of pink.

He took her hand, and she looked surprised. That's when I decided to run. I took in deep breaths of air.

I quickly made it to my house. I ran up the stairs and looked out the window. I saw Max walking up her front porch steps with that idiot. That weenie.

Then time froze. He kissed her. And she kissed him back. Now I know exactly what Max felt a few days ago.

I felt almost overwhelmed with all the emotions running through my body. He pulled away from her and she stood there with a happy look on her face.

I imagine that what I felt must be worse, because Max knew I didn't like Brigid. But she actually liked him.

Life's funny, isn't it? Oh the irony.

**(A/N) Okay, now do you still hate Fang? Alright guys. Time to become the demanding author that would love some reviews. 63 people voted on my poll, so why can't I get 63 reviews? If I do, I seriously think I might collapse. So what do you say guys? Pretty Please? Even if I don't get 63 reviews, I still just really want reviews for this chapter especially because it was VERY difficult for me to write.  
**


	29. Irony: Max POV

**(A/N) Hello everyone! Sorry, this is going to be the last update for about 2-3 weeks because I am going on vacation. **

**Max POV**

Three days is along time if you think about it. Three days is an eternity when you aren't talking to your best friend. Three days is way too long to go without talking to Fang.

But that's exactly what I had to do; go without seeing Fang for awhile. I missed him so badly it physically pained me to see him in the hall way. Of course, those were stolen glances when I knew he wasn't looking.

Pain has a funny way of being distributed. I was in pain over so many things right now. Knowing how I wasn't good enough for Fang caused me a lot of pain. Knowing that Jeb didn't love me caused a surprising amount of pain. And pretending, that caused the most pain.

I woke up, and stepped out the door. It was bright outside and sunny, setting off a bit of gold I noticed. I turned my head and looked at two kids with the most perfectly golden hair.

I was drawn to them. They were… the most perfect looking children in the world. The little girl was wearing a pink dress. Her perfect blonde hair fell in perfect curls around her perfect and delicate shoulders, her blue eyes sparkled. The boy looked older, with that same curly blonde hair, just shorter, and the same blue eyes shining with mischief.

But something more made me feel this strong urge to talk to them… Maybe this certain energy coming from them. Major Max Hippie moment…

I walked over to them. "Is something wrong? Why are you standing here?" I needed to keep these children safe. I don't know why, but I simply had to.

"Oh, we were actually waiting for our babysitter. But she never showed up to her meeting…" The little girl dimpled at me adorably.

"I can do it!" I said immediately.

"You have a date though, you must, a girl like you is bound to have a date. Maybe tomorrow night though?" She smiled at me again. Though this time it was creepy. Cute, and yet strangely creepy.

I stuttered. "O-okay?"

She looked at me with eyes far too wise to be on a six, maybe seven year old girl's face. "You look sad."

So without thinking, I poured out the whole story with Fang. "I always just thought he would be my first date. My first kiss. My first everything. He was my first heartbreak though." I spat angrily at the end.

She was smart and changed the subject. "My name is Angel. This is Gazzy. Short for-"

"Gasman," he cut in, "And most people wouldn't want to know why that's my nickname."

I laughed easily, but it turned abrupt and harsh sounding as I saw a familiar dark figure in my peripheral vision. Within moments, he was standing next to us. "Hi, Fang!" Angel said cheerfully. He blinked. "Max told me about you."

She went on to tell him her name as well as her brother's. "Hi," he said jerkily before asking me how I knew these two children.

I turned on him with an expression I know would have scared most people, but not Fang. "Oh, now you care about what's going on in my life? Not to busy being obsessed with your little girlfriend? Well, if you must know, I'm going to baby sit them tomorrow night." I smiled with amean look on my face to cover the sadness I felt. "I couldn't tonight, because it's my _date_." Seeing the pain my statement caused him almost pleased me. Maybe now he would grasp how much he hurt me.

"I hope you have lots of fun with Sam," He said with a bored expression on his face.

The tone of my voice was a bit like poisoned honey. "Oh, I will! Thanks _so much_!

"I miss you." That stopped me dead in my tracks. I froze as I felt longing and pain and sadness and loneliness and surprise flow through my veins to my pounding heart.

"She misses you too. You should get to school now. Bye bye!" As Angel said that and he walked away, I wonder how much of that he even meant. Probably none. He probably only felt sorry for me.

I spent the rest of my day with my head in the clouds. I should have been thinking about Sam, not Fang. But I _was_ thinking about Fang, and I _wasn't_ thinking about Sam. Wasn't I over him?

I was so out of it, during lunch I barely noticed the big scene that went down between Fang and Brigid. Strangely, I was happy that they fought. How wrong was that?

I spent no time getting ready for the dreaded date. I mean, Sam was nice, and if I hadn't met Fang I would probably really like him. When Sam picked me up and walked me to the nearby ice cream parlor we talked about how Thanksgiving was terrible with his family.

He quizzed me about my love life. I answered him avoiding all the original questions, but luckily, he seemed smart and stopped asking things like that.

We left and I realized that I did like Sam. It wasn't the mind blowing passion I felt, and maybe still do feel, for Fang, but it was something. When he kissed me, it made me happy.

I broke away and when Sam walked away, I saw Angel give me a thumbs up. How had she known that I would be out here?

She was a freaky kid. I only knew her for a little while, but from what I've seen, she was weird. Cute and sweet, but weird.

Thinking back on when she called Fang by name, I realized something. _I never told Angel his name._ Something was wrong with her, and I would find out…

**(A/N) More foreshadowing! Spooky, huh?**


	30. Terror: Fang POV

**(A/N) I seriously didn't think I would be updating today, but I am! Thanks to **_**TwiRidePotterGirl**___**for her awesome review and for the fact that I have 609 reviews at this moment! That's a lot! This is a bit dark. And I'm sorry.**

**Fang POV**

I was holed up in my room. I felt so utterly hopeless. Max was literally the light in my life. I have a suckish life, and Max was one of the only good things in it. I had been in my room leaving only to eat and go to the bathroom. I was like this for a few days now.

But now I had school. I hauled myself out of bed and trudged to the bathroom.

I stared in the mirror trying to recognize the person in the mirror. My normally neat and yet messy black hair was lying in a giant mop on my head. The dark eyes had huge bags under them from lack of sleep. I was a mess. Forcing myself to walk away from the mirror, I got in the shower.

It felt good to get clean. I felt almost like the water was washing away a bit of my worry. But of course, the typical stress was still there.

Stepping out of the shower, I wonderer whether or not Max would be shooting me death glares today. I really hoped she wouldn't.

Then the rest of the day just seemed to fly by… at least until lunch. "Fang? Sit with us?" Nudge hollered.

I turned around and stopped the grin that threatened to spread over my face. Then I saw Sam heading towards the table. Then I didn't have to stop any smile… "Okay." I said flatly.

I slid into my normal spot by Iggy and Max. But then Sam glared at me and shoved me out of the way. "This is _my_ spot, thanks." He wrapped an arm around Max's waist.

I glared right back at him. "Soooo… Scratch and Sniff stickers?" Nudge randomly offered, and I gave her a thankful glance.

I left the lunch table with my blood boiling. No one should touch Max like that…

_*********Later that same day********_

I was sitting at home daydreaming when suddenly I got this strange urge to go outside. I did, and I saw Angel sitting with Gazzy looking anxious and tapping her foot.

Suddenly, I felt this awful terror ice through my veins. Something sinister was about to happen. "Go. Into the woods. Go _now._" Angel said with a faraway look in her eyes.

Immediately I started running as fast as I could. I had never run as hard as this before.

What could be so terrible that would cause this kind of pure fear to take control of me? But I knew. There was only one time when I had felt so scared. Max.

Thinking of her made me run even harder. Soon, my lungs were begging me to stop, and my legs were burning. But I didn't care, I had to help her.

"Stop! Now!" I heard her scream.

Within a matter of seconds, I had found her.

The sight before me sent me into a flying rage. Sam was sneering over Max, who was lying on the ground with no shirt. "I wish we didn't have to do things like this."

She screamed again. "Let me go!"

Sam kicked her in the stomach hard. Immediately all the guys with him started laughing cruelly. I know Max is tough. But not tough enough to fight off that many guys.

I launched myself at same, swearing at him profanely. "If you ever even _think_ about her again, I swear, I will find a gun a _shoot_ you. And I will _enjoy _it." I snarled before knocking him unconscious with a kick to his head that made him bleed.

Turning on the other four guys there, I hurled myself at the nearest one before punching one of them in the nose, feeling cold satisfaction as blood gushed out.

The other three ran away. "Cowards!" I yelled after them.

I turned to Max who was staring at me. Her facial expression… it just _hurt._ It hurt beyond belief. She was _scared_ of me.

"Max?" I asked her hesitantly, my voice radiating kindness and caring. "It's okay."

"Stay away." Her voice shook as her brown eyes widened in fear.

Her crouched in front of me with no shirt on… No shirt on? I spun around. "Crap! I'm so sorry. Um, let me know when you're, uh, covered."

After a moment, her soft voice reached my ears. "Okay, you can look." I turned around, and I saw her looking at me with her chin raised. She would have looked defiant had her lower lip not been trembling.

"Are you okay? They didn't… hurt you… did they?" I asked haltingly, wanting to go insane with anger again, but holding together because I didn't want Max to be scared.

She laughed coldly. "No, I guess not."

I wrapped my arms around her, and I hated how she tensed up and lifted her hands as if to push me away. But instead she whispered, "Thanks."

"Any time."

"But don't think you get off this easy. I trust you, but I'm not sure that I can be as close to you anymore. But let's start as being friends?" She inquired, pulling away from me.

"Okay."

It was a start.

**(A/N) Okay. Last update before I leave! So, how was it? Now, how much do you hate Sam?**


	31. Terror: Max POV

**(A/N) Imagine my surprise. I get home and I have 181 unread messages. That's A LOT! Thank you guys!!!!!!!! **

**Max POV**

I woke up feeling the pain that was now familiar to me. The pain that stood for loss. The pain that took the place of joy. Terrible pain. The pain that was Fang.

I needed him in my life, and I knew it. But I needed him out of my life more. Every time I let anyone in they always hurt me, and it really sucks to be me.

Hating life can't be that bad, is it? Sometimes I wonder why I haven't killed myself. Oh right. Fang. Nudge. Iggy. Sam, I guess. But is it worth it?  
I shook my hair out, hoping to clear my brain. I didn't need to be thinking like that. It just wasn't right.

I got up and got ready for school before walking to school with Nudge. "-and it was totally awesome. Totally. That's a strange word. I mean, Tooooooottttaaaaallllly," she said, dragging it out as though to emphasize her point.

I laughed and said, "You're a goofball." She grinned at me, and I noticed the looming building in front of us.

First, second, third, and fourth periods went by quickly. The reason they went quickly, I'm not sure, they just seemed nonexistent as a part of my day.

Lunch. Now that was interesting. "Fang? Sit with us?" Nudge screamed at him, looking at me and wiggling her eyebrows.

He sat down, and I recognized that look. He was trying not to smile. I was soon fighting a smile of my own before I remembered I pushed him out of my life.

I stared at him for awhile. He had huge bags under his eyes, he looked happy. Then that glee vanished. I continued staring. His hair, which he was very vain about, believe it or not, was knotty and sitting on his head limply. I watched as he fell out of his chair. Fell? Fang wasn't clumsy.

I felt someone wrap an arm around my waist. I glanced over and saw Sam. He was glaring at Fang. Fang was glaring back. Guess who looked scarier? "Soooo… Scratch and Sniff stickers?" Nudge asked, to which I replied a bit too enthusiastically, not sounding like myself at all.

_*********Later that same day********_

Sam was coming over today, even though I kind of wished he wouldn't. He'd been weird lately.

As soon as he got to my house, he asked if I wanted to take a walk with him. I smiled and agreed. We always went to this spot in the woods that I absolutely loved. I swear I heard Angel scream _NO!_ But I ignored it and took his hand.

When we got to our spot, I noticed several people standing there, scanning their eyes up and down me. Sam turned to them and gestured to me. "Hot, isn't she?" I scowled at him and the random people I'd never seen before. "No, don't say anything. They'll go away now if you'll do what I want." He continued with an animalistic look on his face.

"Um… okay? Do you need to be checked into the mental institute?" I asked sarcastically, feeling adrenaline take over me, and the fear that began to slowly paralyze me.

He rolled his eyes and said, "You're prettier when your mouth is shut. You know what I want."

The way he said it left no doubt in my mind what he was after. He'd been pressuring me ever since that first date. "No." I tried to sound firm, but I could hear the way my voice quivered a little bit.

I felt strong arms pin down my legs. Instantly I started to squirm to get them to release me. Suddenly, my shirt was lying on the ground next to me. "Stop! Now!" I shouted.

Sam was leaning over me. "I wish we didn't have to do things like this."

"Let me go!" I hollered at them again. He kicked me. Hard. I resisted the urge to shriek like a baby.

Then _he_ was there.

"If you ever even _think_ about her again, I swear, I will find a gun a _shoot_ you. And I will _enjoy _it." Fang's eyes had seemed to turn a couple shades darker, and I knew he would keep that promise. The rage in his eyes… it terrified me.

I watched blankly as he beat the crap out of Sam and turned my head to watch them run away. Then I stared at Fang. I didn't bother to hide my fear and hurt. Would he be mad at me too? Would he be mad that I didn't fight?

_Don't hurt me…_ I couldn't force the words out of my mouth. "Max? It's okay."  
"Stay away." I could feel my eyes get bigger and my voice was shaking, despite my efforts to steady it.  
Suddenly his eyes widened and he turned away from me. "Crap! I'm so sorry. Um, let me know when you're, uh, covered." What was he talking about? Oh! I could feel my face heat up. How did I even have it in me to be blushing right now?

I grabbed my shirt and pulled it on. "Okay, you can look."

"Are you okay? They didn't… hurt you… did they?" I felt the old Max spirit spark in me.

"No, I guess not." Not in the way you're talking about.

He hugged me. I wanted to push him away, and I prepared to do so, but I went with my heart. "Thanks."

"Any time."

I needed to clarify something. "But don't think you get off this easy. I trust you, but I'm not sure that I can be as close to you anymore. But let's start as being friends?" I heard the truth ringing in the words I spoke.

"Okay."

A smile lit my face. I knew I still loved him. But I couldn't risk being so close to him yet. But it was a start. I would tell him… someday.

**(A/N) SO! Who wants to tell me how much they missed me!??!?!?!?!? In other words, please review. You guys rock! **


	32. Scheme

**(A/N) Okay, because you're all so awesome, I decided to update again! Now, this chapter might throw you through a loop, but hang in there! You'll get excited, I promise!  
**

**Nudge POV (Yes, that's right, NUDGE!)**

"Iggy!" I shouted before flinging myself into his outstretched arms.

"Hey," He said, looking down at me fondly.

I began blurting out. "Not that I didn't miss you, and that I don't want to hug you, if that even makes sense, but I really want to talk to you about something. I mean, Max is gonna be really mad at me, but I don't really care, you know? Sometimes you just have to take things into your own hands rather than let the situation go the way it's go-"

"Nudge. What did you want to talk about?" He asked with patience.

I laughed. "Oopsie daisy, did it again, didn't I? So, I was thinking. Double date."

Suddenly, his face filled with mischief. "I like it. Max and Fang?"

I beamed at him and exclaimed, "Exactly!"

He winced and said, "No need to shout."

I frowned. I didn't want to admit there were any flaws in my plan. "But how are we going to get them to go?"

He grinned impishly. "We don't tell them it's a double date. Have you ever talked to Max about our relationship?"

I paused to think. "Well, some stuff. I mean, I always tell her how much I love you and stuff, and how great you are, and how cute you a-"

He kissed me briefly. When he pulled away, he smiled, and I asked breathlessly, "What…? I mean, what were you…um…oh, uh, asking?"

Iggy laughed easily and stated, "Don't worry about it."

"Um, okay?" I was still feeling a bit dazzled.

"You could just tell her we haven't hung out as a group in awhile," he shrugged, "You can even try and play Dress Up Barbie Max if you want."

I felt my face light up. "You're a genius! That's brilliant!" I hugged him tightly. "Thanks!"

We talked for a bit more about how where we would go. "A movie?" He inquired.

"No, that's not good for Max and Fang's first date." He nodded at my quick response.

We pondered for a second before we both blurted out, "THE DANCE!"

I grinned at him and said, "That's perfect! That way they can talk, but at the same time, if it gets awkward, there are more people there, and there's gonna be tons of stuff to do!" We slapped each other high fives.

This was going to be _great_.

**(A/N) Next chapter will be getting ready for the date. **


	33. Preparations

**(A/N) Okay guys, this is another Nudge POV one because I just thought it'd be more fun to write in her perspective, but the dance I'll give both Max and Fang's POV's. By the way. I lied. This is Nudge's POV of getting ready. By the way, thanks **_**love is killing me**_** for her wonderful input on helping me find a dress for Nudge :)**

**Nudge POV**

"Is this really necessary, Nudge?" Max questioned impatiently.

I stared at her in horror. My lip trembled as I began sadly, "Well. I guess if you think I haven't been doing a good job then I'll just let you-"

"Fine!" Max sighed and told me, "I swear, you're going to be the death of me!" She groaned. "Man! Now I sound like Jeb!"

I sighed and said, "Max, if you don't stop talking, I'm going to poke your eye out with this!" Waving the mascara applicator in her face, I continued, "Which would actually really be a shame, your eyes are really pretty."

She opened her mouth before clamping it shut tight in annoyance. "Remind me again why I'm doing this?"

I put the applicator back into the tube and screwed it shut before giving Max my best Bambi eyes. "Because you love me?"

She glared at me and stated firmly. "After this, I might not love you so much anymore."

I grinned and said, "But you love me enough to let me do this! Now for your hair…"

She groaned and started to place her head in her hands before I screeched, "No! You'll smear it!"

The ferocious infamous Max glare was back. "This really sucks."

"The pains of being pretty." Something flashed in her eyes and I realized how stupid what I just said was. "Oh, Max, I didn't mean it like that! You already know how gorgeous I think you are, what I wouldn't give to look like you, you're, like, ten times prettier than me!" I scolded lightly.

She looked at me in disbelief. "Have you even seen yourself?" She stood up and spun me around so I faced the mirror.

My brown skin, brown hair, and brown eyes looked hopelessly ordinary compared to Max. She always looked fantastic, but she simply _shined_ in her dress. Her chocolate brown dress matched her eyes; I was still a bit put out with her for not letting me get her the much shorter, much brighter, much more un-Maxish dress I had originally picked out (she told me she would never wear pink in her life). And yet, I think she looked much better in the dress she chose.

"Yeah," I said, hoping I didn't sound too jealous, which I was.

She rolled her perfectly made-up eyes. "I know that tone. Don't even start. You know you're prettier than me."

I simply shook my head at her, not saying anything. What I love about Max is that she really doesn't get how attractive she is. Changing the subject, I smiled at her angelically. "So, you ready to see your shoes?"

Max stared at me dumbly. If I didn't know better, I would say she sounded scared as she questioned hoarsely, "_Shoes?"_

I nodded my head and ran to my closet and pulled out a pair of silver shoes. "Now, I know the heel seems high, but re-"

"_Three inches?!"_ She shrieked.

I nodded my head eagerly. "But I'll be over six feet tall!"

"Good, then you'll be closer to Fa- Closer to your true feelings about shoes." I finished, sounding like an idiot.

She glared at me and asked, "What in the world does that mean?"

_Phew._ I said in my mind. I tried my best to sound professional. "You'll see, you'll grow to love these shoes." _Not really._ "Besides, my heels are higher, which is good because Iggy is really, really tall, you know? So I really gotta try to match his height as best as I can, because it'd be kinda hard to dance with him if I have to stand on my tiptoes, so that's why I got high heels to try to fix that problem, you know?"

"Um, no." Max said, staring at me like I was an alien. I stared right back at her before we both burst out laughing.

Suddenly, I heard Jeb call, "Max, you have a visitor!"

Max's eyes flashed with hatred and it reflected in her voice as she screamed back, "Okay!"

The door opened and suddenly Angel was standing in the doorway. "Hi, you guys look really pretty!"

"Thanks, sweetie," We both told her, and she smiled at us and sat in between us, linking her arms through ours.

She smiled her adorable little girl smile. "You're welcome! It's true. Uh-oh. Don't kill yourself in those shoes," She said, scowling lightly at the boxes.

I laughed and said, "Don't worry, I'm sure Max has at least some of the grace required to pull off those shoes." I winked at Angel and she giggled.

"Shouldn't we be going now?" Max asked in annoyance.

"Oh! Right! I nearly forgot!" I exclaimed. I gave Angel a quick kiss on the cheek after Max and said, "Bye, Angel!"

We ran down the stairs, with me carrying our shoes. "Oh, and we aren't walking, Iggs is gonna pick us up, right? I don't think I'd be able to walk to school in those…_things_." She said in disgust.

"Have some respect, they're really cute. And yes, he will pick us up, in fact I think that's him," I told her mentioning the ringing doorbell.

We walked outside together and I grinned when I saw Iggy's mom's car parked outside. Wow, that's kinda confusing isn't it? Iggy's mom's car. Hm. He climbed out and stared at me for awhile. I blushed a bit. He grinned at me and opened the door for me then quickly slammed it when Max was about to get in. He smirked at her and said, "Well, look at that! Max is in a dress. I guess that makes you a lady too," He teased before opening the door.

"Shut up!" She said, shoving him playfully. Iggy smirked before climbing into the car and sitting next to me while Max sat in front of us, glaring ahead. What was with that?

Iggy looked really handsome. His blue shirt matched the same shade his eyes were and his strawberry blonde hair was naturally messy, but it looked good on him. He wore dress pants and shoes. Wouldn't it be weird if guys wore high heels? I mean, especially Iggy since he's already six foot six. "You look really good, Iggy!" I said brightly.

His blue eyes seemed to soften as he looked at me and said, "You look beautiful," before kissing me gently.

"Um thanks." I said stupidly when he pulled away. He never failed to dazzle me. He smiled, and I realized we were at school. Man, I always forget how close Max and I live to the school.

I watched as Max took a deep breath and she stepped out of the car. Immediately the first words out of her mouth were, "Fang? What are you doing here?"

**(A/N) I had a lot of trouble picking dresses, but I think these are all really nice and pretty. And, of course, I LOVE shoes, so I had to put those on as well :P**

**The dress Nudge picked for Max ~ **

**.com/S/3034069?cm_cat=datafeed&cm_pla=dresses:women:dress&cm_ite=calvin_klein_pleated_bodice_dress:255556_1&cm_ven=Linkshare&siteId=J84DHJLQkR4-234bLZgXcUWakzTPasPjgQ**

**Max's Dress**

**.com/ip/I/hiphopgift_2057_7838573**

**Nudge's Dress**

**.?LargeImageURL=.net/graphics/product_**

**Max's Shoes**

**.com/sizzle-monterrey/294107/628765?cm_mmc=like-_-none-_-none-_-none**

**Nudge's Shoes**

**.com/dyeables-casey/310022/662759?cm_mmc=like-_-none-_-none-_-none**


	34. Dance: Fang POV

**(A/N) Check my profile for the dresses, if you're curious :)**

"Fang? What are you doing here?" Max demanded.

What was she doing here? Iggy told me he wanted me to hang with him and Nudge. Max would hate me now. She probably thinks I planned this or something. "Did you plan this or something?" She said in that same tone.

I turned around slowly to face her. And then I couldn't look away. She was stunning. Gorgeous. Beautiful, astonishingly so. Her blonde streaked hair which was normally pulled into a severe ponytail or braid or bun or something was gently cascading about three inches down her back. She was wearing _make-up_. The dress she wore complimented her wide brown eyes that were flashing with anger; her face was flushed, most likely from my staring.

"Iggy." I jerked my thumb towards him and Nudge who were sitting down, heads bent close together. I looked at Max and felt my heart ache with something. Why couldn't we have that? Oh. Right. Because I blew it.

She looked away from me, the pink tint fading out of her cheeks with an almost remorseful look replacing the blush that looked so good on her. "So he planned it? With Nudge?"

I shrugged; I really didn't know. She got that same look in her eyes before saying blankly, "I see."

I shrugged again before staring after her as she walked towards Nudge and Iggy. She gathered her dress before sitting down looking uncomfortable. Nudge said something before sending me a pointed glance. I watched as Max's facial features hardened before standing up, placing her hands on her hips, and asking something angrily (I assume).

Before long, she began walking over to me when someone walked up to her smugly and asked her something that made fear flash across her face. She froze and said nothing as he bent his face towards her neck. Immediately, I walked up to Sam and Max and said sharply, "Get off, _now._"

He sneered at me and said, "She'd rather talk to me than someone who's hurt her as badly as you have. I'm no idiot and she's not either."

Without thinking, I lifted my hand to punch him, but Max beat me to it. "Don't say that again, you don't know anything!"

"Hey! What's going on over here!" One of the chaperones walked over to Sam, helped him up, though the weenie still looked a bit dazed.

Max smiled sweetly at the adult and said, "Oh, he was just attempting to kiss me when I didn't want to be kissed, a lady as pretty as yourself must know what that's like."

"Well, yes, yes I do." She said smugly before scolding Sam.

When she escorted him away we both burst out laughing. The warmth in her eyes indicated that nothing had ever happened between us. "Dance?" I asked her.

Immediately, the warmth was gone, and she looked scared of something. "Um."

"I understand." I tried to conceal the pain I felt, that after everything, she still couldn't trust me; I only have myself to blame though.

"I'm sorry," She looked down at her high heeled shoes before grinning abruptly at me. "Besides, I'd probably step on your foot or something and cause severe bleeding."

I smirked at her. "Yeah, probably. How'd you get those anyway?"

She sighed mock-dramatically. "It all started with…actually I don't even know where she bought these things." Max looked at her shoes in disgust.

I half-smiled at her again, and she stared at me for a few seconds before smiling at me. What was that? "You look nice." I finally spoke.

"Thanks. You too." I nodded my head curtly. An awkward silence spread over us before she stated, "Come on. One dance won't kill me. But it might kill you, just so you know."

I grinned at her briefly before offering my hand. We went to the corner of the room, not even on the dance floor before swaying to the music, and I felt her lean her head again my chest before she muttered something. "What?"

"Nothing." She said quickly, almost as if she regretted what she said.

At the end of the song, she started to pull away from me but I whispered, "Please, don't."

She swallowed, and eloquently said, or more accurately, asked, "Um, okay?"

So we just stood there, in our little corner with me stroking her hair with one hand, and I held her hand with my free one. She suddenly pulled away and gasped out, "I…I can't. I'm sorry. I just… I need to leave!"

I released her hand, hating that I knew this would happen eventually. I hated myself. I would hate her for doing this to me, but I couldn't. I just couldn't. Sometimes, it'd be so much easier.

**(A/N) Alright! Ultimate FAX addict and killer, right here! **


	35. Dance: Max POV

**(A/N) Let's get this show on the road! I'm pretty sure a lot of you were wondering what the heck was wrong with Max during that last chapter… just pointing something out to you, in the books Max almost always runs. Just saying. **

**Max POV**

"Did you plan this or something?" I demanded. He finally turned around to face me. Good. Why did he have to make this stupid dance even worse? I didn't want to go, and I was friends with him, but still.

He sorta stared at me for a little bit. For a short moment his dark eyes were traveling up my body, looking almost surprised. He looked _good._ Really good. Of course, it wouldn't kill him to wear a color other than black, but then again, I can't picture him in anything else.

"Iggy." He said, gesturing toward Nudge and Iggy. Suddenly, I felt resentful. They had planned this. Nudge and Iggy didn't even care about the way I felt. Or him for that matter.

But still, I had to know. "So he planned it? With Nudge?" He shrugged.

An ache took control of my heart. So he didn't come to see me. He didn't come because he thought I might want to dance with him, which I didn't. He came because he had to. "I see."

I walked away, hating how dramatic my heels sounded against the floor. I lifted my skirts uncomfortable, skirts are so inconvenient, and sat down next to the couple. "You just left Fang? Why aren't you dancing with him?" She looked over at him, and I noticed him watching this whole exchange.

I stood up and put my hands on my hips before saying softly and angrily, "Did you even think about how I feel? Or him? Did you even think that maybe he didn't even want to see me? I mean, that's what I'm getting from him. Thanks for making me look like an idiot!" I finished bitterly.

I was walking back in Fang's direction, I don't know why, I didn't like him or anything, when Sam walked up to me and said, "You look so hot. You want to sneak away?" Fear made me freeze. Again. He bent his head towards my neck, probably to kiss me with his disgusting lips. He couldn't do anything with teachers here.

"Get off, _now_." Fang growled. I nearly fainted with relief, and I am _not_ the fainting type, so you should know that I was very relieved.

Sam turned at Fang and simpered. "She'd rather talk to me than someone who's hurt her as badly as you have. I'm no idiot and she's not either."

That was a slap to the face. I would _not_ rather talk to a rapist. I would much rather talk to the person who I might still like just a little bit. Just a little. My fist flashed out and caught him on the jaw. "Don't say that again, you don't know anything!"

Some random chaperone decided to come up and ask, "Hey! What's going on over here!" She helped him up.

I gave her my best 'charming and innocent young lady' smile, blinked my eyes, and decided flattery actually _does_ get you somewhere, despite what they say in all the movies. "Oh, he was just attempting to kiss me when I didn't want to be kissed, a lady as pretty as yourself must know what that's like."

And, gee imagine this, she did look flattered! "Well, yes, yes I do."

The lady shot Sam a dirty luck and led him away from where Fang and I were standing. We started cracking up. "Dance?" He asked, offering me his hand.

The happiness I was previously feeling ebbed away leaving me with emotions like fear and longing and sadness and all kinds of other _wonderful_ things. I wanted to trust him, but I simply couldn't. Too much had happened to me lately. "Um."

He sort of glanced before saying, "I understand."

He seemed hurt. I couldn't believe one freaking syllable could make Fang, the strongest person I know, seem upset. "I'm sorry," I looked down to avoid his gaze. I smiled at him and joked, "Besides, I'd probably step on your foot or something and cause severe bleeding."

Fang smirked. "Yeah, probably. How'd you get those anyway?"

Dramatically, I explained this whole tragic affair. "It all started with…actually I don't even know where she bought these things." I studied my shoes with contempt.

Half of his mouth lifted in a cute smile. Fang really was good looking. His hair flopped into his left eye and his dark eyes glinted with a nearly imperceptible lighter brown color. "You look nice."

"Thanks. You too." Hopefully he didn't hear how flat my voice sounded. Of course, he probably just said I looked nice because he felt bad. We sat in quiet. I remembered something Nudge told me awhile ago. _It wouldn't kill you to be spontaneous._ "Come on. One dance won't kill me. But it might kill you, just so you know." He grinned and offered me his hand. I took it, and we went to a somewhat quiet part of the gym.

As I slowly leaned my head against his chest, it hit me that I still loved him. I still loved him a lot. "Oh Fang. I love you. I love you so much." I muttered, low enough so he wouldn't hear.

"What?" I shook my head slightly, a bit of a bitter smile on my face. We could never be together, not with the way I act.

"Nothing."

After our song I started to inch away. "Please, don't."

Fang sounded so vulnerable, I started thinking ahead of myself, I stopped thinking with my brain and listened to my heart screaming at me _Stay with him!_ "Um, okay?"

With a trembling hand, he stroked my hair. And that was when my brain caught up with me. He would just get my hopes up, and then he'd let me down, just like last time. Just like every other time with every other guy. I could never have what I wanted from any of them. I got scared.

"I…I can't. I'm sorry. I just… I need to leave!"

I ran away, despite my feet's pained cries. Why did I have to leave him? Oh right. Because that's what I did. I was a coward at heart, and no matter how special Fang was, not even he could change that.

**(A/N) Awwww, poor Max and Fang… don't worry! I promise they'll get together soon!**


	36. Attack: Fang POV

**(A/N) Alright. Action scene coming!  
**

**Fang POV**

Things weren't weird between me and Max. I know, I was shocked too. We talked the way we had before everything happened. We acted as though we never butted heads in the first place.

Things however, were weird with my mom. Something just wasn't right. She would have hushed conversations and then as soon as she saw or heard me she'd quickly excuse herself and hang up. What was she hiding? It wasn't like she would be afraid to hide her new boyfriends; she seemed to rub that in my face, knowing how much I hated how slutty she acted.

"Nick?" I jerked my head up to the teacher. "Is everything alright? You seem distracted."

I nodded curtly, and she looked at me expectantly. I held her gave levelly, and she sighed and prompted me, "The answer? To problem twenty-one?"

The bell rang and she asked me to stay. "Nick, is something bothering you? I'm the guidance counselor here and if-"

"I need to get to my next class." I fled the room quickly. She didn't need to be sticking her nose into my issues. She doesn't understand, and she wouldn't care.

My final class whizzed by, and I was totally ready to leave. "Fang? Will you walk home with me?"

I turned to Max and nodded. "Nudge is catching a ride to Iggy's house, and yeah…" She trailed off, eyes dark as she glared at Sam who winked at her.

I snarled at him, and he flinched. I sounded so animalistic it nearly scared me. I growled something… not nice and his eyes flashed with fear. He walked away slowly. "Let's walk." I headed off in the direction toward home.

We were talking casually, when we passed this one spot. It was a dark, almost alley way type thing that's stereotyped in movies and books. And then it happened.

Beautiful men and equally attractive women stepped out of the shadows. Max stopped and looked at them, almost admiringly. A female purred, "Come here, sweetie." Looking entranced, Max obeyed.

"Max? What are you doing?" I snapped.

She turned to me with this almost goofy smile, "Saying hi to the nice lady!"

As I paced after Max slowly, snarling suddenly erupted, hurting my ears. Max watching in horror as the woman's jaw elongated, making her once stunning facial features twisted and grotesque.

"Get them!" I spun around and saw Jeb. I screamed curses as I punched and kicked these horrible creatures.

What was Jeb doing? I was strong, and I knew it, but these monsters they were supernaturally strong. Probably because _they weren't human._ I saw Max being shoved into a car, and I began to panic.

I glanced around, looking for something I could use to defend myself. I saw a beer bottle. I grimaced before picking it up and smashing it over one of the thing's head. It howled and crumpled to the ground.

Great. Now there was glass all over the floor. I launched myself after Max, and saw that the door was still open. I ran over and slammed it _hard._ Perfect. It hit the wolf looking thing and it too let out a mournful sound.

I yanked Max out of the car and shouted, "We need to run!"

That's when it happened. Two figures blurred past us. Angel and Gazzy with wings unfurled. Wait. _Wings?_ Suddenly, Angel let out a sweet laugh. I watched in shock as everyone began to stare at her. "Erasers? Jeb, you should know better! The last time you tried to take me and Gazzy back, _bad things happened._ Don't you remember?"

Jeb's eyes widened in fear, and he turned to run. "Oh, no. You're staying." She repeated herself, her voice becoming cold and aged beyond her years. "Now, who helped you?"

After a pause, Angel said, "Oh. I see."

Something hit me in the back of the head, and I fell to the floor, bleeding. I saw Gazzy rush over and begin fighting against the thing. An eight year old who was nearly equally matched in agility in speed as a wolf thing. That's something you don't see everyday.

"Everyone!" Angel called. I snapped my head in her direction, amused when I saw Max do the same. "Oh, not you. Everyone else. You're going to go to sleep now. And you're going to leave them alone now, okay?" Her voice took on that same creepy tone as before.

She walked up to Max and said, "You two can come with us. We have some stuff to tell you."

**(A/N) So how many of you are shocked?**


	37. Attack: Max POV

**(A/N) I loved your reactions! And all will be made clear during this chapter, I did things a bit differently just to let you guys be informed. This is Max's POV and a little bit more that will not be shown in Fang's POV.**

**Max POV**

I thought while I walked briskly, looking for Fang.

Jeb was being a jerk. A real jerk, to put it _nicely_. He wouldn't talk to me, and when he did it was with this creepy studious stare. Yeah, coming from your dad, it's not weird at all when he looks at you like some psycho. But then again, that's what Jeb is.

And who else was being a jerk? Sam. He would have this air about him, this cocky and arrogant way about him that just made me want to hit him again. You would think he'd be able to take a hint.

There he was. "Fang? Will you walk home with me?" He turned to me, and nodded, hating and yet loving the way my heart thudded. "Nudge is catching a ride to Iggy's house, and yeah…" As I saw Sam wink at me, my heart thudded out of anger.

Fang followed my gaze and made a strange sound under his breath. Then he turned to Sam and said something that made him back away with a look of terror on his face. Serves him right. "Let's walk."

We headed off towards our neighborhood. "…And she just crashed the go cart right into the fen-" We walked by a dark spot, a place with several buildings lined up and no windows.

They stepped out of the shadows. Gorgeous beings, with honey blond hair and eyes the purest, clearest blue I'd ever seen. I was drawn to one of these humans as she said in a voice made of the softest velvet, "Come here, sweetie."

I felt a smile spread across my face, and I walked towards her. Someone so beautiful couldn't mean me any harm, could she? "Max? What are you doing?" Fang demanded, his voice sharp.

"Saying hi to the nice lady!" I told him in an almost reprimanding tone.

The sound of a vicious snap of jaws resonated in my ears. The woman smiled at me, and I watched shocked as her face changed into something distinctly wolfish.

"Get them!" Jeb. It's always Jeb. Fang flew into a action, trying to fight of these things that looked as if they belonged in a sci-fi movie. But they weren't, it was in my life.

Hairy hands grabbed me. "Get off! Let go of me! Stop it!" I kicked and shouted, but my demands were unmet. They shoved me into a car, when abruptly one of them let out a piteous howl, and Fang pulled me out of the car and yelled over the mayhem, "We need to run!"

Then they saved us. An eight year old, and a six year old saved us. Angel giggled, and suddenly, everyone stared at her. It was like I couldn't not turn to her, and meet her every demand. "Erasers? Jeb, you should know better! The last time you tried to take me and Gazzy back, _bad things happened._ Don't you remember?"

"Oh, no. You're staying." Jeb was still trying to run when Angel's voice took a creepy turn. "I _said_ you're _staying_." Just like that, he froze in his tracks. "Now, who helped you?" Pause. "Oh. I see."

Something hit Fang from behind, and he crumpled to the floor. I wanted to cry out and help him, but Gazzy beat me to it.

"Everyone!" Angel's voice called to me again, and I had to look. "Oh, not you," She directed to Fang and me, and I dropped my gaze, released from her creepy power. "Everyone else. You're going to go to sleep now. And you're going to leave them alone now, okay?"

All the creatures dropped. Angel strolled up to me casually with Gazzy in tow and told me, "You two can come with us. We have some stuff to tell you."

_*********Later that Day*********_

We sat down on the grass, and I stared at Angel, waiting for what she was going to say. "Alright. Clearly you can see that me and Gazzy aren't normal. We're part bird. I can read and control minds. Like that time, when Sam was going to do bad things to you, I sent Fang." She paused and laughed darkly. "I know more than any six year old should. My childhood is gone. I don't even have a mom who loves me."

I interrupted. "No offense, but how does this relate to anything?"

Gazzy took up where Angel left off. "Jeb wanted you. He wanted to turn you into us. Those things back there are part wolf, toopine? Moopine? Lupine? Yeah. That's it!" He beamed proudly for a second.

"Remember when he left you, Max?" Angel asked me. I nodded, looking down. "That was to come and mutate us. Me and Gazzy. That's where he went. And Fang? Your mom wanted you out of her life, and Jeb decided to help you."

Angel stopped abruptly before saying, "Your Mom knew, Max. That's why she left for those few days. To take away custody from your father. He has no hold over you now." She yawned. "Boy, I'm tired." And just like that, she switched from cruel, hardened Angel to sweet lovable six year old Angel.

"Why don't we all go to my house?" I offered.

Angel smiled at me. "Thanks, Max!" She hugged me, and her brother did the same.

We all walked to my house, Fang and I still dazed. He looked at me and asked, "Max? What's going to happen to me?" If I didn't know him so well, I wouldn't have heard the way his voice quaked.

I threw my arms around him. "Oh, Fang. It'll be okay." We held each other like that until Gazzy interrupted.

"Come on, Max!"

**(A/N) Alrighty! That should have explained a lot.**


	38. Shopping: Fang POV

**(A/N) Thanks for giving ideas, everyone that did,** _**whats my name again77**_** and **_**jaydee626**_** suggested something that I think was perfect for what I was looking for. This chapter is to help make a bridge from the action to the next scene, the most important scene of the story, and to just let me have fun with this chapter. **

**Fang POV**

"How did I end up here?" Max muttered under her breath for maybe the, oh I don't know, fifty fourth time? But who's counting? Not me.

Angel skipped up and slid her hand into Max's and said, "Because I've never been to the mall! And you love me!"

Max rolled her eyes, and I watched in amusement as Angel's eyes widened when she saw a toy store. "Max, can we please go inside?" Angel tugged Max's hand and began to drag her inside.

Max turned to me and mouthed, "Help me!" I smirked at her before walking with her to the store.

Nudge smiled at Iggy and asked, "Hey, do you want to help Gazzy pick some stuff out?"

Angel looked around, her blue eyes huge. She darted from one spot to another causing Max to hiss under her breath and fixate her with a stern look. After a few moments, recognition dawned in Angel's eyes. "Oops. Forgot about that!"

I raised my eyebrows at Max. "I'll tell you later." She rolled her eyes before looking at Angel fondly.

"Max! Come here! Fang! Look at this!" We both walked over to Angel. She was holding a bear with wings and looking at it like it was the most important thing in the world. Which, for a six year old, it probably was. Angel looked at me and said, "No, Fang. You and Max and Gazzy are the most important things in the world to me." She smiled at me before hugging Max and me.

I blinked before hesitantly wrapping my arms around her. "So, Max, can I get it?"

Max bent over and looked at the price tag. "Forty-three dollars?" She choked a bit. "Angel, sweetie, that's a bit too much for a bear."

Angel's eyes flashed, and she walked up to one of the workers. "Are you sure I can't get a little tiny discount?"

The worker started to say something but then confusion washed over her face. "Um, I think that's okay…?"

"Angel!" Max snapped. Angel looked at Max and cocked her head slightly.

Angel sighed. "But Max, I really want the bear," she said quietly, almost mournfully. "I love Celeste." Her blue eyes flashed with anger and suddenly she wasn't the sweet little girl Max and I loved. "I want the bear! Let me get the bear."

Max's eyes glazed over a bit. Oh crap. "Angel." I began, "You can't do that to Max."

Angel glared at me. "Why not?" Abruptly, Angel's eyes began to fill with tears, and she said to Max softly, "I'm so sorry, Max!"

Max stumbled a bit as she walked over to Angel and hugged her. "It's okay, sweetie. You are so special, but you need to understand that you can't do that every time you want something."

Angel sniffled. "Okay, Max. I'm sorry."

Max sighed. "You can get the bear…" I shook my head at her teasingly and she muttered, "Shut up." I smirked in response.

Angel squealed and grabbed Max's hand before tugging her toward the register. "You two handled that well. Is she your kid?" I turned around, and saw the same worker from before smiling at me.

I shook my head and grunted, "We're just friends."

She twirled a piece of long red hair around her fingers. "Oh?"

I nodded, noticing that she looked kind of like Lissa. She was prettier than Lissa. _But not prettier than Max…_ I heard a little girl giggle, and I sent Angel and image of me glaring at her and she laughed again. _Max is mad._ That got a smile out of me. "You have a nice smile." I nodded my head absently.

"Okay! Time to go, Fang!" She turned to face the girl and snapped, "Thanks for keeping him occupied but now you can leave him alone!"

I rolled my eyes. "Jealous?"

She rolled her eyes back. "Of her? Under all that hair she has no brain, why would I be jealous of her? Just because she's pretty? No. I don't work that way, thanks so much."

I swept a piece of hair out of her eyes. "You have better hair than her anyway." She flushed.

"Whatever."

When we finished shopping for clothes, Angel darted off and declared, "I'm gonna go find Gazzy!"

So there we were. Me and Max. Alone. Yeah. Not awkward at all. "We should talk."

"Have you been watching Oprah again?" Max stared at me defiantly with her chin raised, fire dancing in her liquid chocolate eyes.

I rolled my eyes. "No, that's Iggy's thing." And it was true. Before he met Nudge, he swore one day he was going to marry Oprah. No joke.

She laughed nervously. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"What happened at the dance-"

"Was nothing. Absolutely nothing." Her voice grew slightly bitter. "Isn't that right? I'm nothing to you. I'm just another girl. I'm gonna go find Angel."

She took off, not letting me say anything. I would have to convince her otherwise. She wasn't just another girl. She was so much more.

**(A/N) Review please? It would just absolutely make my day since I have a stupid physical, please? Make me happy? Because you love me? Because you love Fang? Because you love Iggy? Or Max? Or even Angel? I don't know! Just review :P**


	39. Shopping: Max POV

**(A/N) So. I'm going to update. But before I do anything else, everyone needs to understand that MAX AND FANG WILL NOT BE TAKEN AWAY FOR EXPERIMENTING! **

**Alright. This is answering questions of an anonymous reviewer. You know who you are. For one thing, it IS alternate universe. Max and Fang are not going to be experimented on. Also, Angel never had a leader. She broke out with Gazzy and wandered, she's six years old, she doesn't fully get that it's so important to keep her powers a secret, she's six, and to quote Max in one of the books, six year olds are known to have excellent decision making skills, she doesn't understand that what she was doing is wrong, because she never had a parent. I never said there would be Eggy, and if I did, I'm sure in another AN I said that instead there would be Niggy. This story is coming to a close, and I don't have time to incorporate all your ideas. Thanks for the review, I probably sound mad, but I'm not, I promise :) **

**Max POV**

I so did not want to be here. The mall? Yeah, it was for Angel, but still. The mall? Not my scene. "How did I end up here?"

Angel jerked her head in my direction and waltzed over to me, took my hand, and gave me the Bambi eyes. "Because I've never been to the mall! And you love me!"

I rolled my eyes, trying not to let a smile spread over my face. Angel stared at the toy store in front of her with wide sapphire eyes, her head cocked to the side and her fresh blond curls flying as she spun around and asked, "Max, can we please go inside?"

"Help me!" I mouthed to Fang while nodding my head absently to what Angel was chattering about.

When we got in the toy store, Angel started bouncing off the walls, picking up each toy and explaining to me seriously why each stuffed animal wasn't "the perfect one". As Angel ran around the store with her inhuman speed…inhuman speed.

_Ange! Knock it off; people are staring, it isn't normal for a six year old to be so… fast._ She smiled at me sweetly. "Oops. Forgot about that!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fang raise his eyebrows at me. "I'll tell you later." It's not like I can announce to everyone, "Hey! I have a mind reading six year old! Yeah, she's got wings too!"

"Max! Come here! Fang! Look at this!" I glanced around before seeing Angel holding a white bear with a tutu and halo. Abruptly, Angel declared, "No, Fang. You and Max and Gazzy are the most important things in the world to me."

We both hugged Angel, before she asked me if we could get the bear.

I checked the price. "Forty-three dollars?" For a stupi – A hard glare from Angel stopped my thinking. "Angel, sweetie, that's a bit too much for a bear."

Angel strolled up to a worker and I instantly noticed the worker was charmed, yes, Angel was extremely cute. "Are you sure I can't get a little tiny discount?"

"Um, I think that's okay…?" The teenage girl looked absolutely puzzled.

I knew what happened. _Angel, you can't do that. Angel. I know you're listening._ "Angel!" I finally barked. She cocked her head innocently. _Stop that._

"But Max, I really want the bear," For a second, she looked so sad that I nearly caved. "I love Celeste." I opened my mouth, when suddenly, I felt something clawing at my mind, a probe. "I want the bear! Let me get the bear."

Suddenly, the only thing I could see were Angel's cold blue eyes, the bear, and the cash register. _Yeah. She should get the bear. It's a nice bear. I should go and buy it right now. Yeah. A per – _"Angel, you can't do that to Max." I felt the control loosen, but I couldn't drop the bear.

"Why not? I'm so sorry, Max!" My vision refocused, and I saw Angel in tears.

I swayed and almost tripped as I walked over to Angel. Everything was still kinda fuzzy as I hugged Angel and told her gently, "It's okay, sweetie. You are so special, but you need to understand that you can't do that every time you want something."

"Okay, Max. I'm sorry." My heart melted.

She didn't even need the mind control. "You can get the bear…" I saw Fang shake his head at me. He knows I can't resist the Bambi eyes. "Shut up," I tossed over my shoulder as Angel eagerly pulled me toward the register.

Angel giggled. I turned and saw a girl twirling a piece of long red hair talking to Fang. She was gorgeous. Not as pretty as Nudge, but still, she was stunning. I gave the money to the cashier. We stepped out of line and started walking toward them.

Who does she think she is? Miley Cyrus? Jessica Alba? No! She's not. Just because someone's pretty, they think they rule the whole freaking world! And other people's boyfriends! Or best friends. _You're prettier. Fang thinks so too_.

By the time I reached them, my face was red from anger and what Angel told me. Okay! Time to go, Fang!" I looked at this Red Haired Wonder. "Thanks for keeping him occupied but now you can leave him alone!" She looked scared, and walked away slowly, like I was some rabid raccoon. Well, when I'm mad, I'm much _much_ worse than any silly animal.

"Jealous?"

I scoffed. "Of her? Under all that hair she has no brain, why would I be jealous of her? Just because she's pretty? No. I don't work that way, thanks so much."

A look of… something… tenderness? Yeah, maybe tenderness, crossed his face and he smoothed my hair. "You have better hair than her anyway."

I blushed, and cursed myself for it. It made my, "Whatever," totally pointless. Honestly, I liked being complimented by Fang. Yes, the world is coming to a stupid freaking end. Maximum Ride, liking compliments. Kill me now.

"I'm gonna go find Gazzy!" Angel scampered away.

"We should talk."

Oh no. We should _not_ talk. "Have you been watching Oprah again?" I gave him my signature if-you-know-any-better-you-will-shut-up-right-now Look. I should get that glare patented or something. Too bad it can't be sold in stores.

Fang rolled his insanely dark eyes. "No, that's Iggy's thing."

I laughed. It sounded fake. It was fake. I didn't want to talk about this. "So what do you want to talk about?"

"What happened at the dance-"

I cut him off. "Was nothing. Absolutely nothing." Might as well just plow on now. "Isn't that right? I'm nothing to you. I'm just another girl. I'm gonna go find Angel."

I ran away, fighting tears. Every word I said I meant. Every word I said was true. I was just like Lissa, just like Brigid, heck, I was even just like that chick in the toy store. A tool. A toy. Something to throw out when I lost my shine. But I didn't even have that, I didn't even shine.

I was nothing.

**(A/N) So! Two more chapters and an epilogue. Alright. You guys are going to think I'm crazy. I have a goal. I want to get 1,000 reviews. Is that too much to ask? OF COURSE! But I'm asking anyway. Please? I know you guys can do it. When I got back from vacation I had over 100 reviews waiting for me. If I need to "mysteriously disappear"… well, don't put it past me. **

**ALSO! Alright, many of you probably read Saint's work on this site, and if you don't, go check her out! She's one of my favorite authors. But anyway, On her profile, there is a petition. Many of you probably know this, but Catherine Hardwicke wants Max and Fang to be played by Rob Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, or Edward and Bella. To stop this madness, PLEASE! Sign her petition! It doesn't take that much effort people.  
**


	40. Essay: Fang POV

**(A/N) I really hope you all like this chapter.**

**Fang POV  
**

What was I thinking? Where was my brain? Why did I do that? How can I fix this mess?

I hit my head on the wall, _yet again._ Max and I weren't talking. We wouldn't be talking for awhile, I knew it. I made things awkward between us.

And stupid me. Max assumed automatically that she was just another girl. But she wasn't. She was The One. I hit my head on the wall again for just thinking that. "Uh, Fang? What are you…?" Ella trailed off.

I rolled my eyes and shooed her away. "MOM! I have no idea what he's doing! I think he might have suicidal thoughts!" Great. Now the Martinez family thinks I'm crazy.

Dr. M appeared in my room. "Fang? Do you want to talk?" Oh yeah, I sure do!

"No."

She shifted uncomfortably. "You seem…" She started searching for words. "Have you and Max had a fight?"

"No."

"Are you going to talk to her about it?"

"No."

"Please? She's my daughter."

"Yeah, I know. And no."

She stiffly walked toward the door. I really wanted to hit something. I grabbed my pillow, punched it, and watched, bored, as feathers fluttered out. _She's coming back. Max, I mean. From the store._

I opened my laptop. I sighed internally. Stupid school. Stupid essay. Stupid everything. One hundred words about Max. "I'm back!" Her voice drifted up the stairs and I blinked, forcing myself to focus.

Who knew it'd be so hard to write one hundred freaking words? I really like her. Oh, who am I kidding? I love her, and I know it. But this is impossible. We weren't talking to each other, and there wasn't a way to fix it.

Just then, the metaphorical light bulb turned on. I knew what I had to do. My fingers started to move over the keyboard, first hesitantly, then picking up speed. There was no turning back now.

_********* The Next Day *********_

I shoved my way toward English. Great. Paper reading time. I can't believe I wrote what I wrote. This was unbelievable. I can't believe I'm seriously gonna read that.

Did I have time to write another paper? Nope. Of course not. Would Max think I'm some creepy stalker now? Probably. Would she think I was serious? Definitely not.

"Alright, class. Who would like to read first? No volunteers? Okay. Hanna. You can read."

Hanna was paired with Sam. Poor girl. Everyone started snickering as Hanna headed to the front of the class. Hanna was teased a lot, sure, she was a bit strange, but she was pretty nice from what I knew. She pushed up her glasses and started reading.

"I don't know you that well, Sam, but I know enough to say that I hate you. Treating every girl you date like a princess, then you dump them and make them feel like crap, yeah. That's not cool.

And then you bully other people. I know you think I'm a freak, but just because I'm different, doesn't give you the right to push me and other people around.

You have a big ego. And you know what? You shouldn't act like you're perfect_._ So, Sam. The next time you think everyone loves you, just know that I definitely don't."

Everyone threw paper at her, with the exception of Max and I. I could practically feel Max's blood boiling. Three…two…one. She stood up. "Max. Don't." She glared at me.

She walked up to Hanna and said, "I liked it." She smiled at her, and Hanna practically glowed, obviously not believing that someone like Max was talking to her.

Max turned to everyone and scolded with a glint of anger in her eyes, "Now, how many of you really want to mess with one of my friends?"

The teacher cleared her throat. "Max, that's enough. Class, quiet down, bullying is not tolerated here."

Hanna walked back to her seat with a smile still on her face. When the teacher wasn't looking, Max flipped Sam the bird. She turned to the front of the class. "Nick? Would you like to read?"

My heart started pounding and Max raised her eyebrows at me. I stood up and walked to the front. I avoided everyone's eyes and started reading.

"Love is so many things. Love is giving, love is kind, love is strong, love is unafraid, love is beautiful, love is perfect in its own way. Love isn't something you encounter everyday, but it is something true, it's something there, you just need to know where to look.

But how does this relate to Max? It's simple. To me, love is Max. I've never known that I could feel this way, but I know now that it's possible. Max is love, and love saved me. She saved me.

Thank you, Max. You have my heart now, forever, and always."

I sat down and enjoyed everyone's shocked looks. Max spluttered. "Wh-what the… what the [insert swear word of your choice here] was that?"

"Nicely done, Nick." The teacher applauded a bit.

We read a few more papers and the whole time I felt Max's eyes on me. I would give anything to know what she was thinking. Too bad Angel didn't go to high school.

I never learn. I made the same mistake again, and I will continue to make the same mistake every time.

She didn't love me. Why would she? Why would she love someone like me, someone who only causes her pain? Why did it have to be her that I loved? Why?

The bell rang. I stood up quickly, needing to escape. I got to my locker and I wanted to scream. But that would cause me to wreck my reputation for being the unmovable rock.

I headed to my next class. History droned on and on, and I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die.

When I headed to my locker, a note fluttered out. There in Max's handwriting was a note.

_Meet me at the park? Okay? _

_~Max_

**(A/N) Who wants to kill me now!? Leaving you like that I feel kinda bad… but still! How many of you totally forgot about that essay thing? **


	41. Essay: Max POV

**(A/N) I'm so close!!!! 40 more reviews THANKS SO MUCH!!!! This chapter starts at the beginning of English class.**

**Max POV**

"Alright, class. Who would like to read first? No volunteers? Okay. Hanna. You can read." Hanna flinched as everyone started booing her as she walked up to the front of the class. I gave her a nod of encouragement. I always had a thing for sticking up for the underdog.

She nervously fidgeted before reading in a slightly shaking voice. "I don't know you that well, Sam, but I know enough to say that I hate you." Everyone sort of blinked in surprise. "Treating every girl you date like a princess, then you dump them and make them feel like crap, yeah. That's not cool." Or he tries to rape you. Like with me.

Her voice strengthened as she continued. "And then you bully other people. I know you think I'm a freak, but just because I'm different, doesn't give you the right to push me and other people around. You have a big ego. And you know what? You shouldn't act like you're perfect_._ So, Sam. The next time you think everyone loves you, just know that I definitely don't."

Everyone started to throw stuff at her. Now that just made me _mad._ Just because she was honest? Why would people do that to her? She's perfectly nice. "Max. Don't." Fang's calm voice sounded in my ears and I whipped my head around to glare at him.

"I liked it." I smiled encouragingly and she smiled back. I turned to the class and I felt my face harden. "Now, how many of you really want to mess with one of my friends?" I watched as several people averted their eyes.

"Max, that's enough. Class, quiet down, bullying is not tolerated here." I rolled my eyes at the teacher. I walked back to my seat and flipped Sam off when the teacher turned her back.

Ms. D asked Fang to read and I raised my eyebrows at him. What can I say? I was curios to see what he wrote.

"Love is so many things. Love is giving, love is kind, love is strong, love is unafraid, love is beautiful, love is perfect in its own way. Love isn't something you encounter everyday, but it is something true, it's something there, you just need to know where to look." What is he talking about? Why is he babbling about-

"But how does this relate to Max? It's simple. To me, love is Max." The silence was unbearable. Please Fang. Just read. No dramatic pauses are necessary. "I've never known that I could feel this way, but I know now that it's possible. Max is love, and love saved me. She saved me. Thank you, Max. You have my heart now, forever, and always."

Okay. If I was smart, I would have told Fang how I felt. But I couldn't. I just couldn't bring myself to say anything to him. Well, except, "Wh-what the… what the [insert swear word of your choice here] was that?"

"Nicely done, Nick." Yep. Nice job wrecking our somewhat perfectly fine friendship.

I stared at him, wanting to know what he was thinking. How could I know whether or not he really meant it? Yeah, if you didn't notice by now, I haveserious trust issues.

My next class was dreadfully boring. I pulled out a piece of paper and began writing.

_Meet me at the park? Okay? _

_~Max_

Yes, for once I was asking to talk about my emotions. It shocked me too.

I walked to our lockers, quickly shoved the note in, and walked away. No going back now.

_********* Later that Day ********_

I pulled on a sweatshirt and headed out the door. I walked slowly to the park. When I got there I scanned the trees for Fang. My heart sank as I realized he wasn't there. "Looking for someone?"

I spun around quickly, my fist curled into a fist, ready to hit my attacker. Or my best friend. "Stop that!"

"Stop what? Breathing?" I hit him lightly on the arm. "Why are we here?"

I took a deep breath. "I think we should talk. About…" I paused, trying to think of a way to put it. "Well, about everything that's going on between us."

He nodded and I continued, "Things have been weird lately. The dance, and now that essay."

No point beating around the bush. "Did you mean it, Fang? That's all I want to know. Did you mean it?"

For a second, his impassive mask dropped and surprise flitted across his face. "Max, I can't believe you even have to ask."

"Can you really blame me? I can't even tell what you feel half the time! It isn't like it's my fault!" I protested hotly.

He waited until the end of my little rant before saying quietly, "I'm not blaming you."

I sighed impatiently. "Fang. I just want to know if you meant it."

He rolled his eyes. He bent down and lifted my chin. "I did." And he kissed me.

Fang? He loved me? Fang was kissing me? Oh. Fang was kissing me. I slowly forced my mouth to kiss him back.

Wait. Wait, wait, wait. I couldn't do this. What if…? I pushed him away and took off shouting behind me, "I'm so sorry!"

When I got home, I sat in my bed and stared at the wall. Why did I do that? He probably hates me now. I shouldn't have done that. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen. I scrawled out my essay. Perfect.

_********* The Next Day *********_

My heart thumped. I stood up out of my seat and walked to the front. I started reading. "Fang's my best friend. I mean, he's possibly saved my life several times. We fight sometimes, but that's okay. It's normal.

But lately I've been thinking. What if we…" I broke off and swallowed nervously. "Went beyond that? I think that I might love Fang. Fang, I'm sorry. I've probably hurt you and screwed up our chances at this, but I'm sorry. And you know I don't say that lightly."

"Max, I don't think you had one hundred words." Ms. D said sternly.

"I dunno. I didn't count." Yeah, sorry, I had more important things to deal with.

Everyone read their papers and Fang didn't look at me. Great. I blew it. I sighed. I wanted to just break down and kick and scream and cry and carry on like a little kid.

The bell rang and I rushed out of the room, totally embarrassed. On the way out, I felt a hand gently wrap around my wrist. Fang pulled me close, much to me utter shock. "You meant it?" I nodded. "I'd kiss you…but…"

"Nicholas!" Mr. Morrison came storming down the hall. "Maxine! In my office now!"

I laughed and Fang and I laced our hands together and walked into the principle's office.

**(A/N) Sorry, I didn't want to do anything too sappy. But how was it? **

**Oh, by the way, I posted a new story, it's another FAX story, but they all have wings this time :P  
**


	42. Epilogue

**(A/N) I know it isn't very long but it's an epilogue, it doesn't have to be long. **

**3****rd ****Person**

The two girls were standing in a large bathroom, getting ready. "Wow. I can't believe we're already seniors! I mean, high school just kinda flew by! And now we're going to our senior prom. It's just so hard to imagine that we're going to be in college next year. But at least we're all going to the same college, I mean, what luck! That's so great, don't you think so?" The girl with the mocha skin finished somewhat breathlessly.

The blonde laughed. "Yeah, high school did go by pretty fast." She frowned. "But I still can't believe you and Fang are making me go to the stupid prom. Nudge, why are you guys so mean to me?"

Nudge laughed. "Oh, Max, we aren't mean! I'm pretty sure Fang just wants to see you in a dress."

Max rolled her brown eyes. "It's nothing that spectacular." Max was donned in a simple but pretty emerald green dress.

Nudge glared at Max. "Please. You look amazing. Simple is better sometimes."

For a second, the pretty blonde teenager stared at Nudge. She looked like a princess in her gorgeous blue dress, like she stepped out of a fairytale. "Hard to believe when you look so beautiful."

Nudge smiled. "Thanks Max! I guess we both shine!" She struck a pose and the two girls laughed.

Their doorbell rang and they both walked downstairs. "Hey Iggy! Hi Fang, Max is coming." Iggy took Nudge's hand and slid a corsage on her wrist. She kissed his cheek.

"If you didn't make me wear these stupid shoes I would have been down there a lot faster!" Max hollered from up the steps. _One foot in front of the other. Don't fall, don't fall. _She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she finished safely descending the stairs.

Nudge laughed. "It isn't exactly a science, Max."

"Not for you…" Max muttered quietly. Max smiled sheepishly at Fang wearing a black tux. "Hey."

Max already insisted that she didn't have to wear a bunch of flowers despite Nudge's protests. Instead, Fang offered her his arm. "I don't need to be treated like some pampered princess." But she smiled and took it anyway. Fang walked Max to the car with Iggy and Nudge right behind them.

They babbled many random things such as pancakes, what was _really_ in hot dogs, and stuffing. "Stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving! I mean, it's so fluffy and yummy, how can you not love stuffing, it must be a _crime_ to hate stuffing, and if it isn't a crime, it should be made illegal."

Max shook her head. "The turkey is the best part of Thanksgiving!"

"How about stuffing filled turkey?" Iggy offered.

Max and Nudge both made faces. "That stuff is nasty!" Nudge declared.

Iggy put on a look of mock hurt. "I happen to enjoy that."

"Guys. We're at the school." Fang said somewhat tensely. Fang hadn't engaged in the random conversations. In fact, from what only Max could tell, he seemed pretty nervous.

They all got out of the car, Max cursing her long skirt to the depths of hell. The boys led Max and Nudge inside the gym.

Iggy took Nudge's hand, kissed it and told her gently, "You look stunning."

Nudge flushed. "Thank you, you look very nice too." Iggy twirled Nudge around on the dance floor.

Lissa walked over to Max and 'accidentally' bumped into her. "Oops." Max glared at her. She reached up, grabbed her crown, and snapped it.

"Oops. My bad." Max smiled at her and blinked her big brown eyes innocently.

Lissa gasped. "B-but but you can't do that to _me_! I'm the _prom queen_."

"Looks like you just got kicked out of the kingdom." Max stepped on her foot and said, "Wow. These things did come in handy after all!"

Several teachers walked over to see what was going on. Lissa was in tears. "She broke my crown!"

"Yep!" Max declared brightly before heading outside with Fang still holding her hand. When the couple was a safe distance away from the school, Max groaned. "I really hate that girl."

"Does that have anything to do with the bachelor auction last year?" Fang asked, smirking.

Max glowered at him. "_No._ So what, she took you out on a date because she paid the most money, big deal." She huffed and crossed her arms. "It wasn't even a real date was it?" Still half smiling, Fang shook his head. "Good."

Abruptly, Max turned her head toward the gym. "How loud do these people play their music?"

Fang shrugged. "Dance?" He offered her his hand, and his former nervousness seemed to come back.

Max took his hand and they swayed slowly to the music. She leaned her head on his chest.

Nudge and Iggy were watching from just outside the gym. "So when do you think he'll ask?"

"I dunno." Iggy replied before kissing his girlfriend.

At the end of Max and Fang's dance, he looked at her and took her hand. "Max. I love you. Marry me?"

He didn't do any of that cheesy stuff where he got down on one knee, or where he recited a poem, though Fang would have gladly done those things if it meant Max would be _his_ for the rest of his life. Max stared at him as if he had two heads.

"I uh," For a second her eyes darted around and Fang's heart sank. He was about to release her hand, recognizing the look on her face, the one that plainly said 'I'm going to run.' But she held fast. "Yeah. I will."

He kissed her cheek and she whispered, "I love you."

"WHOO!" The sudden shouting of all the people in their school startled Max. Max looked around for Lissa's familiar face. She smirked at her before kissing her fiancée.

**(A/N) How was it? Guys I need ONE review to meet my goal of 1,000 reviews, please, everyone tell me what you think of the ending to this story? Is there anything that you guys are confused about? And links to the dresses are on my profile!  
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